Bug FAQCommon Green Capsid
Lygocoris pabulinus · Order: Hemiptera · Family: Miridae
Also called: Plant bug
Source: Wikipedia
The common green capsid is a small, smooth-bodied bug that is bright green on the upper side, and its nymphs are yellow-green and wingless. It feeds on a wide range of herbaceous and woody plants, chewing holes in leaves and leaving bumps on fruits, which can harm crops and garden produce.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults have a smooth prothorax and a uniformly green upper surface. Nymphs are yellow-green and lack wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
Feeding creates small brown holes in foliage. It can damage fruits by leaving raised bumps on their surface.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
In winter they hide under fallen leaves, especially near hedges, where they also lay eggs. They are found on almost any herbaceous or woody plant, with a particular affinity for nettles.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It feeds on a variety of plant species. It also consumes aphids, caterpillars and mites.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Females lay their eggs on the leaves of fruit trees.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Eggs hatch in spring and the young feed on a range of fruits and vegetables.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is a Holarctic species native to most of Europe, except Greece, Malta and Iceland. It has been introduced to North America as an adventive species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 30 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alaska, Massachusetts, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Maine, New Hampshire, Washington.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How does the common green capsid damage plants?
It chews small brown holes in leaves and leaves bumps on fruits, which can reduce crop quality.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this bug in my garden?
Look for it on any herbaceous or woody plant, especially nettles, and check under fallen leaves in winter.
Source: Wikipedia
Is the common green capsid native to my area?
It is native throughout most of Europe and has been introduced to North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Miridae)
North American Tarnished Plant BugLygus lineolarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-spotted Plant BugDeraeocoris ruber
Alfalfa Plant BugAdelphocoris lineolatusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Meadow Plant BugLeptopterna dolabrataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Four-lined Plant BugPoecilocapsus lineatusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Lygus pratensisDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lygocoris_pabulinus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.