Identification
This bright-colored bug has an orange head, yellow or green forewing, with four black stripes – so it is easily identified. They are less than 1/2 inch long (10-12 mm) and feed on a variety of plants, especially plants of the mint family.
This bug is common in this area. The females lay their eggs under the skin of host plant stems, where they overwinter. The nymphs emerge in spring and progress through five phases (instars) before appearing as adults by early summer.
Eggs are laid in stems of plants where they overwinter. Eggs hatch in spring producing nymphs that mature to adults by June. Adults do not overwinter and are dead by August.
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