Subject: Bug ID
Location: North Carolina (Durham)
September 28, 2012 6:41 pm
Help! These guys lay multiple deep red almost black eggs on budding flower bushes and seem to consume the flowers prior to them opening. Are they ruining my large flower bush? It is similar to a hibiscus. How can I control these? They seemed resistant to a natural pesticide or permethrin
Signature: Dr R
Dear Dr R,
This is Niesthrea louisianica, a Scentless Plant Bug without a common name. They feed on the flowers and seeds of Hibiscus, Rose of Sharon and other members of the Mallow family, and to the best of our knowledge, they do not do any permanent damage to the plants. We do not provide extermination advice.