Cotton seed bug, Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae): A potential new threat to California’s cotton industry and native malvaceous plants

Cotton seed bug (CSB), Oyxcarenus hyalinipennis, native to Africa and a specialist on seeds of malvaceous species, was first detected in urban areas in Los Angeles County California in 2019. By 2021, populations were found in urban areas of Riverside, Orange, and San Diego Counties. At this time there have been no confirmed finds of CSB in commercial cotton production areas of California or other cotton growing areas in the US. Although CSB is recognized as a serious pest of cotton, relatively little is known about the biology and ecology of this pest. To address these shortcomings, studies have been undertaken on the field phenology of this pest in California. In the lab, the suitability of different seed species, including cotton and native California Malvaceae, have been assessed for their ability to support CSB development and reproduction. Results from this work will be presented.