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Stink Bugs - Family Pentatomidae
Stink bugs get their common name from the foul-smelling fluids they exude
when disturbed. Both adults and nymphs have large glands that discharge
underneath the body.
Stinkbugs are shy, I can tell you - they are adept and relentless at hiding,
and they will fly off very quickly if they realize you are persuing or
perusing them.
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Stink Bug - Loxa flavicollis
Payne's Prairie SP, Alachua County, Florida,
USA. Size: 2cm
Photo: ©
Sean McCann |
| Stink Bugs are generally
broad, shield-shaped bugs with 5-segmented
antennae; large, triangular scutellum; head
relatively small and often "tucked into" a
concavity in anterior margin of pronotum;
ocelli present. Body (as viewed from above)
apparently divided into 5 sections: a
pronotum, a scutellum, two basal leathery
portions of hemelytra [one on each side of
the scutellum], and two apical membranous
portions of hemelytra that completely
overlap and seem like a single section.
(1) Several species of insects that feed on peaches and other
fruits early in the growing season cause a gnarling and
distortion of the fruits called catfacing. Plant bugs
and stink bugs, called catfacing insects are largely
responsible for this type of injury. They suck the sap
from the fruit. If the peaches do not fall as a result
of this attack, fruit development is inhibited in the
area of the punctures. The surrounding healthy tissue
continues to grow thereby causing a defect resembling a
cat's face.
The green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare, and brown
stink bug, Euschistus servus are the two culprits
most frequently cited from the Pentatomidae family.
Stink bugs have 5-segmented antannae and
a 4-segmented beak (for sucking plant
fluids), and 3-segmented tarsi.
Classification: Kingdom Animalia
(Animals) / Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) /
Superclass Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects) / Subclass Pterygota
(Winged Insects) / Order Hemiptera (True
Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)
Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs) / Family
Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)
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Stink Bug Nymph, Acrosternum hilare |
Adult Acrosternum hilare |
Stink bugs feed on developing seed of many hosts
including trees, shrubs, vines, weeds and many
cultivated crops. They may also feed on the stems and
foliage when seed are not present. Both nymph and adult
stink bugs pierce plants with their needlelike
mouthparts and suck sap from pods, buds, blossoms and
seeds. The degree of damage depends on the developmental
stage of the plant when it is attacked. Immature fruit
and pods become deformed as they develop. Seeds are
often flattened and shriveled. Germination can be
reduced, or the seeds may fail to germinate at all.
The family name, Pentatomidae, comes from the Greek
"pente" (five) + "tomos" (a section); perhaps a
reference to the 5-segmented antennae, or perhaps a
reference to the body, which, when viewed from above,
appears to be divided into 5 large sections. The
scutellum is the largest section.
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Green Stink Bug |
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Stink Bug,
Menecles insertus
Stink bugs feed on over 52
plants, including native and
ornamental trees, shrubs, vines,
weeds, and many cultivated crops.
The preferred hosts are nearly all
wild plants. Stink bugs build up on
these hosts and move to soybeans
late in the season as their
preferred foods mature.
Damage - Stink bugs inflict
mechanical injury to the seed as
well as transmit the yeast-spot
disease organism. The degree of
damage caused by this pest depends
to some extent on the developmental
stage of the seed when it is pierced
by the stink bug's needlelike
mouthparts. The younger the seed
when damaged, the greater the yield
reduction. Although late season
infestations may not affect yield,
bean oil content and germination
will be reduced.
(2)
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Stink bug nymphs and eggs.
Photo: ©
Sean McCann
| Stink bugs
characteristically deposit their
eggs on the underside of leaves in
clusters with tight rows of
individual barrel-shaped eggs. After
overwintering, adult females seek
out suitable hosts in early spring
and typically deposit their eggs on
wild host plants. Often these
overwintering populations are found
along field borders, particularly
along tree lines near their
overwintering sites.
Later-developing cultivated plants
become more attractive when these
initial wild hosts dry down, and
their proximity allows easy access
for stink bug colonization in crops.
Shortly after egg deposition and
hatching, emerging nymphs are
gregarious in habit and remain on or
near the egg mass. As they develop,
they begin to feed and disperse. The
life cycle is repeated when
reproductively mature adult stink
bugs locate mates and deposit new
egg masses.
(1) |
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Mormidia lugens (3) |
Mormidia lugens - 5mm |
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References:
1.
Bugguide.net Family Pentatomidae Troy
Bartlett, et al
2.
North Carolina State University Cooperative
Extension Stink Bugs
3.
Bugguide.net Mormidia lugens
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