OREGON DEPARTMENT INTRODUCTION BODY PARTS LIFE CYCLE PREDATORS OF AGRICULTURE GUIDES Stink bugs are insects in the order Hemiptera, known When the weather warms in the spring and the days get to entomologists as the “true bugs.” True bugs are longer, adult stink bugs come out of hibernation to feed, Apoecilus bracteatus P. maculiventris, Adult Adult Podisus brevispinus, characterized by having sucking mouthparts that mate, and lay eggs. These adults will die a few weeks Size: 13 – 17 mm Podisus maculiventris they use to suck juices from plants or prey. More later, but their offspring will hatch and develop through Description: Pale orange, pink, or tan Spined soldier bugs specifically, stink bugs are in the family Pentatomidae, the summer. Stink bug egg clusters can have seven to as with solid red antennae. Abdomen Size: 8.5 – 13 mm and are distinguished from other hemipterans by many as fifty eggs, varying by species. After hatching, the with alternating dark bands along having five antennal segments (penta = five, tomo young insects, called nymphs, go through five “instars”, or the edge. Apoecilus is univoltine Description: Adults are mottled light brown to tan dorsally, but can = part); other hemipterans have four or less. When immature stages, before molting into a winged adult. The and overwinters in the egg stage. The defensive fluid smells putrid. appear to be slightly red or pink disturbed, stink bugs emit defensive liquids from first instars generally remain on the egg cluster but later It has been reported that nymphs and adults are generally or on the hemelytra. Pronotum their scent glands that can have a strong odor and instars can be very mobile. The different stages can be solitary but will aggregate to molt. often with pointed “spines” P. brevispinus, Adult a bad taste to discourage predators. Although most distinguished by their relative size to one another and the on the hind angles, but these Hosts: Predacious on Lepidoptera larvae, including fall can also be rounded. Wing are herbivorous on a wide variety of plants, a few are development of the wing pads on the later instars. There webworm, and some leaf beetle larvae and sawfly larvae. membranes often have a central predacious on other insects. Over 50 known stink is variation between species and some stages can be Nymphs and adults have been found on golden rod and black stripe. Antennae are solid bug species have been found in Oregon. This guide difficult to discern. Stink bug nymphs will always complete alfalfa. tan colored. Podisus brevispinus can be distinguished from features some of the common species, and some five instars before molting into adults. Range: Have been collected in Oregon from western, south P. maculiventris by and central regions. Occurs in the northern United States, close relatives, that growers and others might find on the presence of a Eggs 2nd instar 5th instar and in the western states, south to New Mexico and their farms, in their gardens, or in their homes. For small spine that Colorado. species with common names, they are provided under extends forward the scientific name, but not all species possess a from the abdomen Perillus bioculatus between the base common name. In Oregon, a few species of stink bug Two-spotted stinkbug of the hind legs on P. maculiventris, which is not present can be nuisance or agricultural pests, but most are not or does not reach the hind legs on P. brevispinus. considered pests and none are dangerous to people. Size: 8.5 – 11 mm Hosts: Podisus species are predators on many pest This guide is intended to aid you with identifying stink Description: Mostly black with bright species, and are important in many integrated bugs that you find around the state to help with pest red or orange markings. Pronotum pest management systems. They primarily feed on red with two black marks. Head management decisions or to satisfy your curiosity. Adult Lepidoptera larvae, but because they are opportunistic black with solid black antennae. will feed on many other types of insects. Edge of scutellum with red marks. Color can be variable, from red to Range: Both species are found across the United States ATTRACTIVE PLANTS orange to very pale orange. Color 5th instar and have been collected statewide in Oregon. Stink Bugs These plants are attractive to many species of stink on hemelytra can be present or bugs throughout the spring and summer: not, but there are always two black Zicrona caerulea marks in a field of color on the • Antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) pronotum. Nymphs have black or Blue shieldbug At the end of the summer, as days get cooler and of Oregon • English holly (Ilex aquifolium) metallic blue wingpads and bright Size: 4.5 – 9 mm shorter, adults will begin to move into hibernation areas abdomens. • Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) and settle down for the winter. Most adult stink bugs Description: Distinctive dark blue Hosts: Perillus bioculatus nymphs to black metallic color both • Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) spend the winter in leaf litter or under tree bark, but A guide to members of the insect family are voracious predators of the Colorado potato beetle dorsally and ventrally. Legs and and other Rubus sp. some, like the brown marmorated stink bug, will gather (Leptinotarsa decimlineata). Nymphs and adults will feed on antennae are black. Adult Pentatomidae and their relatives the beetle eggs and larvae. • Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) in structures. Some stink bugs are univoltine, or have a Photo by Thomas Shahan commonly found in Oregon Hosts: Predacious on beetle • Red alder (Alnus rubra) single generation per year, but others are multivoltine, Range: Occurs statewide across Oregon, and across the larvae, particularly leaf beetles, and Lepidoptera larvae completing two or three depending on summer United States. (according to literature outside of North America). In • Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) conditions. (Image adapted from illustrations in The Britain, said to occur on low vegetation habitats such as • Wild carrot (Daucus carota) Developmental Stages of Some Species of the Japanese heathland, damp grassland, and low woodlands. They are solitary and overwinter as an adult. • Wild and weedy grasses Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera), Kobayashi 1967). Range: Found across the United States and has been collected statewide in Oregon. STINK BUGS For more Banasa dimidiata Chinavia hilaris Chlorochroa ligata Chlorochroa rossiana Thyanta custator Adult Adult Adult Green stink bug Conchuela bug Red-shouldered stink bug information Size: 7 – 10 mm Size: 10 – 15 mm 13 – 19 mm 13 – 20 mm 10 – 11 mm Description: Distinctive bi-colored Size: Size: Description: Bright green oval shape Size: pronotum; green towards the head Description: One of the largest stink Description: Ranges from bright to dark with yellow edges along abdomen. Description: Pale to light green, Oregon Department of Agriculture and red towards the abdomen. bugs in Oregon. Uniform bright green (almost black in some regions) Small depression running along often with a distinctive red stripe Body usually glossy with small dark green color, abdomen has distinctive with a bright band along the edge the middle of the scutellum. Juga across the pronotum, but are also Insect Pest Prevention & Adult punctures. Scutellum often green Adult black marks or notches along the of pronotum and abdomen ranging extend just past the tylus. If small often light brown or tan with no Management Program with light spot on the tip. Hemelytra outer edge. Antennae dark with from red to yellow. Antennae are spots are present on the base of the stripes or distinctive markings. 635 Capitol St. NE green or red. Antenna tan to green light bands. Edges of body may solid black. Many have a lighter scutellum, they are weak and indistinct, otherwise they are Wing membranes with scattered with dark tips. Head is reddish be tinged with yellow. Nymphs are colored spot at the tip of the 5th instar not present. Wing membrane is clear or colorless. Antennae dark spots. Nymphs are dark Salem, OR 97301 with dark punctures. Color of this brightly colored with black wingpads scutellum. Nymphs tend to be are dark, except for the first segment which is green. brown to black. Early nymphs Adult www.oregon.gov/ODA species is highly variable. Often and white and green striped mostly black except for the margins Literature on this species is scarce. have two distinctive pale spots on referred to as B. dimiata in literature. abdomens. Very young nymphs of their abdomen and pronotum, opposite sides of their abdomens Hosts: Found on Oregon grape, spectacle pod (Dithyrea (503) 986-4621 Nymphs have a dark thorax with a have an orange pronotum. Older which is white to yellow. In other maritma), groudsel (Senecio vulgaris), clover (Trifolium and appear hairy compared tan abdomen and are often more nymphs have orange patches on regions of the country, the color is spp.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and cocklebur (Xanthium to other stink bug nymphs. Photos and illustrations by Chris Hedstrom, unless oval than round when compared the edge of the pronotum, which highly variable. Wings reportedly strumarium). Thyanta custator is very closely otherwise noted. Information written and compiled to other stink bug nymphs. Banasa 5th instar nymphs of other species in Oregon 5th instar with purple flecks on specimens related to T. pallidovirens and by Chris Hedstrom using various published tumidifrons and B. rolstoni are do not have. Often referred to as outside of Oregon and Washington. Range: Specimens in Oregon collected from Central and SE they are morphologically other species that are also reported Acrosternum hilare in literature. Defensive liquid smells sour and Oregon, but entire range is unknown. indistinguishable, but there is sources. Please inquire for references. 2nd instar 3rd instar from Oregon.