Prickly pear cactus bugs (Chelinidea vittiger) are professional insects that feed mainly on the pads of prickly-pear (Opuntia spp.). Many types of prickly-pear cactus bugs occupy a range that stretches from the South-East through Texas and Louisiana or more through the duration of the West, with the exception of Nevada and Washington state. They can be generally regarded a control agent for Opuntia and therefore an excellent insect, but it might be time for motion when they’ve been eating your prickly-pear.
Chelinidea Vittiger
This insect that is occasionally helpful passes several names, including cactus coreid, creating a considerable amount of confusion when a gardener is attempting to decide when they’re problems. Fortunately, prickly-pear cactus bugs are simple enough to recognize by sight. These bugs develop to of a half-inch long, with black legs along with a black shield shaped body surrounded by a border that also includes to stipulate each wing. Nymphs are similar in form but having no outlining and a pale body.
Life Cycle
Prickly-pear cactus bugs that were adult lay the eggs of the time along the undersides of prickly-pear cactus spines. They continue to to put eggs every 2-3 months for the the rest of the lives, up to of a year. This could result in up to five generations the improvement of nymphs and larvae is very variable, producing era counting hard.
Feeding Routines
Both adult and nymph types of prickly-pear cactus bugs prey on the pads of prickly-pear. They use buildings that are specific to pierce the leaves and suck the sap in the pad, resulting in white – rings after feeding has been happening a while. As the damage enlarges, the rings hollow or usually collapse, and fungi invade the pad. The prickly-pear bug, nevertheless, seems to be mo Re successful a-T interfering with all the reproduction of the prickly-pear instead than being an immediate signifies of get a handle on of plants that are grownup.
Control
Generally, prickly-pear cactus bugs are regarded perhaps not terribly damaging, helpful or, in the extremely least. It could possibly be tough to see them this way when they truly are munching in your landscaping Long Beach. Immature bugs may be killed with soap, but adults are more challenging to eradicate, usually requiring b-road-spectrum pesticides. Bugs can be sucked using a damp-dry vacuum from pears and after that doused in water. Pears that were infested ought to be treated using a fungicide to avoid the spread of the fungi that tend to follow prickly-pear cactus bug injury.