Life cycle (Common green capsid)

Common green capsid adult

Common green capsid overwinters as eggs inserted into the bark of young, tender shoots of woody hosts, including apple, pear, currant and gooseberry.

  • The eggs hatch in April over an extended period of several weeks between the pink bud growth stage and the end of blossom of apple.
  • The nymphs are active and feed in the growing points of shoots and on young developing fruits until early May when they migrate to herbaceous hosts such as potato, strawberry and many weeds.
  • Here they continue their development until the adult stage.
  • Adults are very active and frequently fly in sunshine.
  • In late June and July, eggs are laid in the stems of summer herbaceous hosts such as potato, bindweed, dandelion, nettle, dock and many other weeds.
  • A second generation develops on these hosts reaching adulthood by the autumn.
  • A return migration to woody winter hosts occurs where eggs are eventually laid, especially in young, tender shoots.