Description:

• Adults are delicate, 12 mm long and lime green in colour.
• They have long fine antennae and opaque wings.
• Nimphs are soft-bodied, green,and are very quick moving.
• Green mirids dart or fly (adult) actively when disturbed.
• Green mirids are most abundant in summer and early autumn.
• It is causing economic damage mostly to lucerne and clover crop
  grown for seed production.

Symptoms:

They pierce and suck developing buds and young lucerne pods, causing bud abortion or seed malformation which lowers viability.
Infestations are recognised by crops never flowering strongly.
Sudden flower drop, associated with characteristic white aborted buds.
Damage becomes apparent 1-2 weeks after the attack.

• Nabis, bugs, big eyed bugs, Lynx spiders are some of the natural enemies.
• Monitor field regularly, especially at budding stage for lucerne.
• Continue to look for native budworm.

Control:

The effect of predators on this previously unrecognised pest is yet to be determined. In the past, green mirids have apparently been controlled by standard Heliothis and Etiella sprays. Due to the insidious nature of the damage, spray when levels reach 5-7 nymphs and adults/sweep sample or when a major hatching of small nymphs is observed, rather than waiting to see the symptoms of damage.