Mirid

Mirids continued to be underappreciated as predators even after several species had been used successfully in classical biological control in the 1920s and 1930s.

Interestingly, the reproductive consequences of hornworm and mirid attack are very different for the plant. While the plant metabolically responds very similarly to hornworm and mirid attack and gains resistance to hornworms, attack by mirids (in contrast to attack by hornworms) does not reduce the reproductive success of the plant, although the damage from these piercing-sucking insects can be substantial.

Green mirids may be present at any crop stage from seedlings to podding. Mirid populations are typically low during the vegetative phase, but can increase rapidly after budding as a result of in-crop breeding.