Stink Bugs
Stink bugs are not a native species to the United States; they were introduced into the country in 1996 from Asia. They are a type of agricultural pest that invade homes in large numbers in the fall months. As their name suggests, when they are threatened or squashed, they release a foul-smelling odor from specialized glands that are located underneath their thorax.
Stink Bug Identification
Stink bugs have mottled brown and tan bodies and have patches of copper or blue-metallic on their heads. They have light bands on their straight antenna and have dark bands on their front wings. They are 12-17 mm long and have piercing mouthparts that they use for sucking; stink bugs are as wide as they are long and have a characteristic shield plate on their back.
Habits & Life Cycle Of Stink Bugs
Stink bugs feed on apples, tomatoes, green peppers, soybeans, and many other crops. They use their mouth to pierce the skin of the fruit or vegetable and suck out moisture from it leaving behind a damaging scar on the crop.
Stink bugs breed in the summer months. The females lay their eggs on the underside of the plant that they are invading. It takes 4-5 days for the eggs to hatch; the nymphs then molt several times over the course of the summer. When first hatched, the nymph is yellow and red with red eyes, and as they molt and grow they turn to more of an off-white color until they reach their adult appearance. Once they reach adulthood in the fall, they will seek shelter inside homes and other buildings to overwinter in.
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