Description:

A pest of canola and seedling lucerne.

• The adult rutherglen bugs are 3-5 mm long with a narrow body.
• They have a greyish brown colour with dark marking.
• The oval shaped nymphs are wingless and become darker as they mature.
• Damaging population can develop in late spring.
• The adults and nymphs often move into crops as pasture dries off.

Symptoms:

The rutherglen bugs are sucking insects feeding on sap from stems (and developing pods of canola crops). Infestation can occur at anytime from flowering but is most common from pod filling until maturity. Damage can occur even in a windrowed crop. Seedling lucerne adjacent or grown under a canola cover crop are particularly at risk from set back by rutherglen bugs

• Rutherglen bugs are a seasonal pest.
• Healthy and vigorous canola crops often escape infestation.
• Low numbers can be tolerated.
• Monitor crop from flowering to windrow.
• Use chemical control and monitor for results.
• Spray before windrowing if possible.

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Pest of November Web Page created by Raymond Christinat , last updated November 2008
Please kindly email the author of any error.