Photographer:

Kansas Department of Agriculture

Adult(s)

Description:

The greenbug is a highly destructive pest of wheat and milo in Kansas. When they feed, these aphids inject toxic substances that can stunt or kill the host plants. Greenbugs are small, green with black feet, and a have a dark-green stripe down the back. Antennae are curved back over the body. Populations may develop in the fall through spring in spots in wheat and oats. They kill plants, which develop a distinctive reddish brown color, in ever widening areas of the field. Heavily infested oat fields frequently have a reddish-yellow hue over the entire field. In May or June of dry years, the aphids occur within the leaf sheath surrounding the developing heads of wheat, sometimes stunting them. Greenbugs also attack milo, causing severe damage to seedling plants. Huge populations that can develop in milo fields produce winged forms that reinfest seedling wheat in the fall. The fall infestations are particularly serious when warm weather persists. The information for this submission into the image library was provided by the Kansas Department of Agriculture.  A more detailed report on this submission can be found in the KDA Field Manual: Insects in Kansas.  To obtain a copy of Publication #S131: Insects in Kansas contact K-State Research and Extension, Department of Communications distribution center at (785) 532-5830

Field