Get facts. So easy on the internet. My favorite source of information is the Missouri Botanical Garden's Kemper Center: http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/IPM.asp?code=123&group=54&level=s They recommend non-chemical responses first like cleaning up at year end or planting trap plants to lure the bugs away, but if you want to kill the nymphs and adults this year, start with insecticidal soap. Followed by more chemicals if needed. I rarely use them at all, but if I have to I only use insecticides as a single spot treatment although I have a shelf full of stuff from former years. One thing I will kill immediately with chemicals is bagworms, and I treat container plants differently than garden plants. One year bagworms got all over 2 beautiful River Birch's, some 15 ft Viburnums and my 25 yr old Harry Lauders Walking Stick. Couldn't let that continue - heh heh. I searched several Extension Service bulletins about Four Lined Bug to see just when they lay the eggs but none of them say - just says 'fall'. I would have no problem cutting down everything right now if it would eliminate the bugs, but since I'm not sure when the eggs get laid I will be cutting stuff to the ground and throwing away the debris in bags probably in early September. The hardest hit plants in my garden were the geraniums and also they just decimated my Brunnera Looking Glass - and once they got holes started something else has moved in - either earwigs or slugs - I've never seen what it is but they are full of holes. kimpa - I compost everything but it's not worth it if the eggs overwinter - I found out the hard way it's ok to toss a few things out just to keep the garden clean and disease free. I had a foliar virus overwinter in my compost pile from composting diseased foliage and then I spread it all over my gardens. I have malformed, curling leaves on everything from lilacs to rudbeckia to lilies. This year I've spent hours going over more than 1 acre of gardens removing distorted leaves and bagging them for the trash so it doesn't fall on the ground and contaminate the soil even worse. I am using Messenger and more fertilizer this year to improve plant health so they can fight off any infections. I can't believe this happened to me but I learned the hard way to keep diseased foliage out of my compost. I even let one compost bin dry out completely and then sprayed it with bleach to make sure I wasn't going to carry more of that stuff around the garden. Anyway, I hope none of you get this nasty Four Lined Bug as bad as I did this year - it was pretty ugly through June. Although by now all the geranium foliage has completely regrown and you can't tell. The bed where it was the worst is going to be completely cleaned this fall and I'll lay some mulch or leaves on it for extra cover thru the winter.

I cannot find any images, either, most likely due to the fact that the insect deposits the eggs directly into plant stems. Look for this eggs near the shoot tip on host plants. One description described them as 'banana-shaped', laid in groups of 6 or so, in slits along the stem. They over winter as eggs, so good housekeeping is important. Look for their egg clusters in the winter and prune them out.

http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/node/40263 Here is a site with pictures of the Fourlined Plant Bug. C. Malcolm Beck, Texas Bug Book describes them an the Adult is yellowish green and black with four jet black lines on the pronoun (shield behind the head) and forewings.

Mealybugs are soft-bodied bugs that appear as white cottony masses. These pests are particularly fond of phaleanopsis plants. Adults are about 2-5 mm long and are easily seen by the naked eye. The first line of defense is to inspect plants regularly for them and signs of them as they lay their eggs in what appears to be a slight cottony residue. An adult female will lay 100-200 eggs that will hatch in about two weeks. Rubbing alcohol from the drugstore in a hand spray bottle is an excellent contact killer. Repeated applications are necessary as alcohol has no lasting effects. For serious infestations, some recommended pesticides are: Malathion 50% EC, oil sprays, or Marathon, 1%. Systemic pesticide applications often require a follow-up treatment to catch newly hatched eggs. Please remember to follow manufacturers recommendations to the letter as misuse of chemicals can cause irreparable harm to plants. Submitted by Rhonda Heide