Labops hesperius and other Labops spp.
Pest description and crop damage Insect is grayish black with silvery scales, about 0.25 inch long, and somewhat pear-shaped. Adults have prominent compound eyes and can have shortened or absent wings. Black grass bugs will feed on a variety of range grasses (e.g., wheatgrass, brome grass, orchardgrass, bluegrass) and field crops (e.g., barley, wheat, rye, oats). Great Basin wild rye and wheatgrasses are preferred if available, especially blue bunch wheatgrass, crested wheatgrass, and intermediate wheatgrass. Feeding causes pale spots and, when severe, a general yellowish stipple on cereal leaves.
Management-chemical control
- bifenthrin (Brigade 2EC) foliar application. Apply at 0.33 to 0.1 lb ai/A, 2.1 to 6.4 fl oz/A. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/A per season. Retreatment interval: 30 days. REI 12 hr. Do not apply within 30 days of harvest or grazing livestock.
- carbaryl (Carbaryl 4L) at 0.5 to 1 quart ai/A. PHI 0 days. Do not make more than 1 application per year. REI 12 hr.
- lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior II with Zeon Technology, Lambda-Cy) at 0.02 to 0.03 lb ai/A. PHI 0 days for grazing or forage harvest, 7 days if cut for hay. REI 24 hr. Max 0.03 lb ai/A per cutting, 0.09 lb ai/A per season. Do not re-apply sooner than 30 days after last application if a hay crop is not taken.
- malathion (Malathion ULV) at 8 to 12 oz product/A. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr.