In the Delta of Mississippi the tarnished plant bug Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) is a major pest of cotton. The overwintered adult population of this pest is active and reproducing in march which is about two months before cotton is available as a host. In this agroecosystem geranium dissectum was found to be an important early-season will host for the overwintered adult populations of this pest. At least two generations of plant bugs are produced on this host before it matures and dies between late-May and early-June. Treating the geranium with one application of 2,4-D in late-march or a single mowing in mid-April reduced the plant bug population in this habitat by 70.7 to 71.07% and by 50.4 to 51.2%, respectively. Three application of larvin or pydrin reduced the population by 50.9% and 77.6 to 78.5%, respectively. Four applications of a biological mixture containing Heliothis nuclear-polyhedrois virus (elcar), Bacillus thuiringiensis (thuricide) and gustol (a Heliothis thuiringiensis (thuricide) and gustol (a Heliothis feeding adjuvant) resulted in a 10% increase in the population.