About Anasa tristis (De Geer, 1773)
Adult Anasa tristis are greyish-brown, somewhat flattened insects, reaching approximately 1.5 cm (0.6 in) in length and 0.75 cm (0.3 in) in width. A row of alternating brown and gold spots often runs along the margin of the abdomen. Adult Anasa tristis survive for three to four months. In the southern portion of the species' range, adult females lay two or three batches of roughly 18 eggs each; in the northern portion of the range, females only lay a single batch. The eggs are oval, somewhat flattened, and bronze in color, and are laid on the underside of host plant leaves. Eggs may be clustered closely together, spread further apart, and are often arranged in a regular pattern. Eggs hatch 7 to 9 days after being laid, developing into nymphs that go through five instar stages. First instar nymphs are green, and measure about 2.5 mm (0.1 in) long. Each successive instar grows larger, becomes less hairy, and changes color to grey. The fifth instar is grey, has developing wing pads, and measures approximately 10 mm (0.4 in) in length. The entire nymphal stage lasts around 33 days.
