It ranges west to British Columbia, Kansas, and Texas. In recent years, it has become much more common on ash trees in Vermont. The adults are true bugs and vary considerably in coloration. The ash plant bug is often pale yellow with reddish markings on the head, pronotum, and forewings. However, almost completely black forms can be found, especially early in the season.
Nymphs are oval and shiny yellowish to reddish brown.
Ash plant bug eggs overwinter, often in clusters of two to twelve, under loose bark and in crevices of twigs. May. The nymphs feed on the lower surfaces of young foliage. Adults first appear in late May to mid-June. They are most abundant in late June and July. The first-generation females deposit eggs in midribs of young leaves.