Viewing post #474557 by wildflowers

Oh my! it sure looks like they will be providing plenty of entertainment as I'm out there pulling off seed heads full of those colorful little bugs.
I sure didn't contain them like Lynn said to do! Now they have all disappeared inside the seed heads.

Janet, thank you for finding my bugs and the links! It common name is Scentless Plant Bug. When I first looked at the name I thought it said senseless plant bug but apparently it's found to be useful and the species has been used to control of the annual weed, Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) which is considered invasive & the bug has been found to reduce seed production by 98%. I need to get out there for seed saving before it gets on my other hibiscus.

How these bugs always seem to find their host plants is amazing to me!

http://bugguide.net/node/view/...