Host plant preference of Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae) in 4 field crops: potato, alfalfa, carrot, and pea.

This article investigates the host plant preference of the western tarnished plant bug, *Lygus hesperus* (Hemiptera: Miridae), among four field crops—potato (*Solanum tuberosum*), alfalfa (*Medicago sativa*), carrot (*Daucus carota*), and pea (*Pisum sativum*)—common in the Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington. Greenhouse choice experiments demonstrated that adult *L. hesperus* preferentially settled on and oviposited in higher numbers on potato and alfalfa plants compared to carrot and pea, with a notable shift toward alfalfa after 96 hours. These findings suggest that potato and alfalfa serve as higher-quality hosts for feeding and reproduction, which has implications for pest management strategies in diversified cropping systems. The study emphasizes the need for field validation to understand how crop diversity and management practices influence *L. hesperus* distribution and infestation levels.