Plant Problem Diagnostic
Leaf-Footed Bugs on Tomatoes and Fruit
The short answer
Leaf-footed bugs are narrow brown bugs, about three-quarters to one inch long, named for the small leaf-like flare on their hind legs, and they are among the pests most often reported feeding on tomatoes and pomegranates.
Their piercing-sucking feeding can make small tomatoes drop and leave depressions or discoloration on larger fruit, though marks on nearly mature tomatoes are typically a surface cosmetic blemish of no real concern.
The reddish-orange nymphs closely resemble beneficial assassin bug nymphs, so before you spray or squash, learn the difference, because assassin bugs are predators you want to keep.
Management is mostly physical and preventive: catch the easier-to-control nymphs by hand into soapy water, clear nearby weedy overwintering habitat, and use early-applied row covers, since insecticides are rarely needed in a home garden.
What leaf-footed bug damage looks like
Leaf-footed bugs feed with piercing-sucking mouthparts, injecting saliva as they draw sap from fruit. Texas A&M AgriLife describes the result on tomatoes as yellow, bleached-looking marks with hardened skin around them, or a rotten-looking spot.
UC IPM notes that feeding on small fruit such as young tomatoes can cause the fruit to abort, while feeding on medium-sized fruit can leave depressions or discoloration at the feeding site as the fruit expands and ripens.
The reassuring part: UC IPM states that feeding on mature tomatoes causes only slight surface discoloration that should be of no concern to backyard gardeners, so a few late-season blemishes do not ruin the fruit.
Don't kill the look-alikes: assassin bugs
The biggest identification trap is the young nymphs. UC IPM describes leaf-footed bug nymphs as having dark heads and dark legs on bodies ranging from orange to reddish-brown, and notes they can resemble assassin bug nymphs.
The distinguishing feature is that assassin bugs have light-colored legs and antennae, and they hatch from barrel-shaped eggs grouped together with a white cone-shaped top, unlike the leaf-footed bug.
This matters because assassin bugs are beneficial predators; killing a cluster of them in the mistaken belief they are pests removes natural control you want on your side.
⚠ Before treating a cluster of reddish nymphs, check the legs and antennae: pale legs and antennae mean you are likely looking at beneficial assassin bugs, not leaf-footed bugs. When unsure, remove one by hand rather than spraying the whole group.
Catch the nymphs early
Timing is everything with this pest. Texas A&M AgriLife's specialist advises catching them while immature, because doing so prevents more damage and stops the next generation, and notes that nymphs are easier to remove than adults, which can simply fly away.
UC IPM likewise recommends handpicking as a primary tactic and notes insecticides are most effective against small nymphs.
- 1Scout for clustered nymphs — Check tomato plants regularly and look for groups of reddish-orange nymphs, which are the vulnerable, flightless stage.
- 2Handpick into soapy water — UC IPM advises handpicking and crushing the bugs or brushing them into soapy water; wear gloves because they emit an odor when handled.
- 3Act before they mature — Focus effort on nymphs; once they become winged adults they scatter and fly off, making removal much harder.
Prevention and when to spray
Cultural steps reduce pressure before fruit is even at risk. UC IPM notes that weedy areas serve as a food source for leaf-footed bugs during winter and spring when fruit is not available, so cleaning up nearby weeds removes overwintering habitat.
Row covers can exclude the bugs, but UC IPM cautions they must be applied early, before the bugs arrive and lay eggs, or the pests will be trapped inside; covers on tomatoes should be opened for pollination as needed.
UC IPM concludes that insecticides are rarely needed for leaf-footed bug control in home gardens, so lead with handpicking, sanitation, and protecting the beneficial predators already at work.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- UC IPM — Leaffooted Bug (Home and Landscape) — Verifies adults are about 0.75 to 1 inch long with a narrow brown body and leaf-like hind-leg enlargement; that the bug is most commonly reported as a pest of tomatoes and pomegranates; that feeding on small fruit can cause it to abort and on medium fruit causes depressions or discoloration, while feeding on mature tomatoes causes slight surface discoloration of no concern to backyard gardeners; that nymphs have dark heads and legs with orange to reddish-brown bodies and resemble assassin bug nymphs, whereas assassin bugs have light-colored legs and antennae and barrel-shaped eggs with a white cone top; that weedy areas are a winter and spring food source; that row covers must be applied before bugs arrive; that handpicking into soapy water (wearing gloves) is advised; and that insecticides are rarely needed and are most effective against small nymphs.
- Texas A&M AgriLife Today — Protect Your Garden From Leaf-Footed Bugs — Verifies leaf-footed bugs are especially drawn to tomatoes and that their feeding pierces the fruit to leave yellow, bleached-looking marks with hardened skin or a rotten spot; that the strategy is to catch them while immature to prevent damage and stop the next generation; and that nymphs are easier to remove than adults, which can fly away.