Identification

• Green bell pepper plants sport smooth green foliage. As the name implies, they bear large, bell-shaped fruit which grow to be about 5 inches long.
  
  

Significance

• Bugs harm green pepper plants in a variety of ways. They leave destructive residue on the plant's foliage. Most of the insects eat the leaves, fruit or both. They also transmit viruses from one plant to another.
  
  

Types

• Aphids, the most common bell pepper pests, along with hornworms and whiteflies, feed on the pepper leaves. Flea beetles, armyworms and corn borers prefer the fruit of the plant.
  
  

Treatment

• Treatment of an infestation can be as easy as removing the bugs by hand. If the numbers are great, insecticides prove to be effective. Take care if using insecticides, however, as the bell pepper relies on bee pollination to flower, according to the USDA's Regional Integrated Pest Management site. An earth-friendly gardener may add natural enemies--such as ladybugs to treat aphids--to the garden. GardeningKnowHow.com recommends removing bugs either by hand or with soapy water.
  
  

Prevention

• Keeping the garden clear of debris and removing dead pepper plants after the growing season eliminates a winter home for the bugs. Some gardeners include soil insecticides as part of the planting process.