Campylomma (Mullein Plant Bug)

The campylomma bug (or mullein plant bug; Hemiptera: Miridae) causes sporadic damage in Utah apple orchards. Damage is inflicted by nymphs, which feed on developing fruit causing dimpling and fruit distortion. As apple fruits mature, they become less susceptible to campylomma injury. Injury appears shortly after petal fall as small corky areas alone or small corky areas surrounded by a depression. Golden Delicious is typically more susceptible to damage than Red Delicious. Pear fruit rarely suffer damage, even at high campylomma populations. Campylomma overwinter as eggs laid in the young twigs of apple, pear and other rosaceous plants. These eggs begin hatching in the spring at about pink stage of apple bud development. This insect has three to four generations per year. A portion of first generation adults migrate from orchard trees to herbaceous weeds, particularly common mullein. However, campylomma can be found in apple and pear orchards throughout the growing season. Late nymphal stages and adults are beneficial predators of aphids, mites and pear psylla. In late summer through fall, adults will migrate into orchards to lay overwintering eggs