Damage to mature trees is slight after June, but much damage can occur to nursery stock throughout the summer. In peach trees, the tarnished plant bug puncture's the tips of tender growing shoots, causing the leaves to wilt beyond the point of damage and resulting in trees with a dwarfed and bushy appearance. Damage to peach fruit can occur throughout the summer. Nursery apple trees damaged by the tarnished plant bug have curled leaves and stunted growth. Monitoring and Control From mid-April to early May, look for adults on flowers and foliage or for bleeding wounds on shoots.
Adults fly when disturbed and are difficult to observe in the field.
The best places to set the traps are in lower areas such as ditch banks and in hedge rows, which are favorable overwintering sites of the adults. White sticky traps are available commercially. Satisfactory chemical control is difficult on tree fruits because the frequently long bloom period, when no pesticides can be applied, prevents optimum timing of control sprays. Also, prebloom pesticide treatments may dissipate during the prolonged period of bloom. The mobility of the tarnished plant bug also makes control difficult.