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Tag: What do stink bugs eat

  • Types of Stink Bugs: What American Homeowner Needs to Know

    Types of Stink Bugs: What American Homeowner Needs to Know

    If you see small, shield-shape bugs in your home or garden, it advised that you are most probably facing stink bug. Do you know that, besides being odorous, they present a real danger to your plants, your crops, and your sanity? In this blog, we will explain the different types of stink bugs, cover some common questions, such as what do stink bugs eat and do stink bugs fly, show you the signs of an infestation, and share some practical advice to protect your homes and property.

    What Do Stink Bugs Eat?

    A question that people usually have frequently is: What do stink bugs eat? Stink bugs have evolved to feed on plant species that are destructive to gardens, fruits, and crops. Their diet is balance: they include apples, peaches, berries and grapes, tomatoes, beans, and peppers, among others. They also consume foods such as corn, soya beans, rice, flowers such as sunflowers, and magnolias. Some of the types of stink bugs eat other insects, which is consider a good way to control pests in gardens, however, the majority are the main contributing factors to the destruction of agricultural lands due to their vast appetites. Therefore, if you are inquisitive about what do stink bugs eat, the answer is quite simple: almost anything green and growing.

    Types of Stink Bugs

    As many as 200 types of stink bugs have been identified in North America, and recognizing the most familiar one and the way it looks will help prevent infestations of these pests. Here is the list of the most common stink bugs seen in the United States, as well as their characteristics.

    Invasive Pest – Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

    • Appearance: A shield-shaped, bears 12–17 length with a mottled brown-gray color. Check for white bands on the last two segments of the antennae, as well as the bands on the edge of the abdomen portion.
    • Where Found: A plant that originated in Asia but now is naturalized throughout much of the United States though most numerous in the eastern part of the country. It is a disease that is known to invaded many homes especially when the weather starts getting colder towards the end of the year.
    stink-Bug

    Southern Green Stink Bug (Nezara viridula)

    • Appearance: It has a bright green body color, red or black colored compound eyes, and small black specks present along the sides of the abdomen. Males are 12.3-12.7 mm; females are slightly larger, 12.7-13.0 mm in body length.
    • Where Found: Another one is located in the South, Texas, and Midwest regions of the United States. they usually locate in warm climates, and the common crops it attacks are beans and tomatoes.

    Green Stink Bug (Chinavia hilaris)

    • Appearance: It has a bright green color, a rounded rectangular shape with more finer yellow line just around the body. Smaller in size than the southern green stink bug, but does not have red bands on the antennae.
    • Where Found: This is evident throughout the U.S, especially in gardens and fields used for farming.

    Brown Stink Bug

    • Appearance: Robust, chestnut-brown as a rule, subfusiform and except for the broader and slightly rounded shoulders that exclude the dark band, 12–14 mm in length.
    • Where Found: Widespread in the fields and gardens of the USA; it is call to be a pest of many crops.

    Dusky Stink Bug (Euschistus tristigmus)

    • Appearance: Like the brown stink bug, but is edge with pointed shoulders and has one or more black spots on the lighter part of the ventral surface of the abdomen.
    • Where Found: It may be located in yards and fields, particularly in the southern part of the country.

    Harlequin Bug

    • Appearance: Bright red/orange hind wings and black segments, body length 9.5 mm. The back has a particular “X” pattern when the wings naturally fold on the back part.
    • Where Found: In the southern part of the United States, it is worst, especially in areas the garden vendors grow crops within the cabbage family crops such as broccoli, kale, and collard greens.

    Rice Stink Bug (Oebalus pugnax)

    • Appearance: Arai – Brown vessel that is tapering at both the chest and the shield, it has a yellow triangle on the back. About 9–12 mm long.
    • Where Found: This pest is commonly found in the Southern United States, mainly in areas where rice is grown. Specialists of certain birds and animals feed on rice, wheat and all other types of cereal grains.
    stink-Bug

    Forest Stink Bug (Brochymena spp.)

    • Appearance: Large, flat, shield-shaped. Fish of elongated shape, dark brown which becomes lighter during summer, with colorful red stripes and distinctly bright red extremities on the fins and tail.
    • Where Found: Forested regions in the United States; also known as the stink bugs.

    Red shouldered Stink Bug (Thyanta accerra)

    • Appearance: Emerald green with an abdominal stripe, red or pink running across the exoskeleton behind the head or pronotum, and a red-pink extension on the scutellum.
    • Where Found: This plant is believed to be widely spread in the gardens and fields, but mostly appears in the southern and central regions of the United States.

    Redbanded Stink Bug (Piezodorus guildinii)

    • Appearance: Projectile-shaped, shiny green to yellow-green with a yellow streak on the middle part of its pronotum and a black streak at the back, has a spine under its abdomen.
    • Where Found: It is a common disease in southern states and particularly in the soybean growing regions.

    These are some of the types of stink bugs you may find in the United States of America. Thus, all stink bugs are easily identifiable by the shield shape on their backs, yet the coloration or markings and sizes vary, as you will see from the descriptions above. It is by noting these differences that one could tell that stink bugs are invading one’s home or garden.

    Do Stink Bugs Fly?

    It might amaze you that the answer to the question Do stink bugs fly is not only a yes but a big YES. Stink bugs have a set of wings, which they fold quite nicely on top of their back, giving them the shape of a shield. When they are in a state of disturbance or need to identify a source of food and shelter, they start flying, performing clumsily. The residents, from time to time, hear a loud buzzing sound while the stink bugs are flying around the lights or windows in a confused manner.

    Their soaring is quite clumsy, but it is just vigorous enough to help them get to the point of their homes, particularly in the autumn months when they are seeking sources to keep them warm indoors. So, the next time you wish to find out do stink bugs fly, you only need to keep your ears open.

    Conclusion

    The types of stink bugs, with their locations and actions, are the best tools to start the protection of your property and garden. If you worry about the food habits of the stink bug, the first and most vital step is to understand your enemy. Information is the most important part of your defense system, no matter if the stink bugs never give up. Cheered by the knowledge and the right bug extermination strategies, you can control these bugs. Always get in touch with a professional pest controller if you catch sight of the warning signals without a moment’s delay – your peace of mind and productivity are at stake.

  • What Do Stink Bugs Eat? A Complete Guide

    What Do Stink Bugs Eat? A Complete Guide

    If you’ve noticed that a lot of stink bugs have suddenly invaded your house or garden, be sure that you are not the only one. The shield-shaped insects are indeed a subject of concern for both residents and farmers all over the United States. Before dealing with the stink bite and its problem, it is important to know a few basic questions to deal with that in the best possible manner. What do stink bugs eat, what are stink bug good for, are stink bugs dangerous, and, finally, how to deal with a stink bug infestation.

    What-Do-Stink-Bugs-Eat

    What Do Stink Bugs Eat?

    This question usually comes to the minds of many people across the United States that what do stink bugs eat . Most of the stink bugs are “polyphagous,” that is, they can feed on different plants and crops. They have quite a rich diet, and that’s why they are a very big threat to people who can be destroyed easily, such as gardens, orchards, and agricultural fields.
    Let’s enumerate their most preferred foods.

    • Fruits: Apples, pears, peaches, apricots, figs, grapes, nectarines, berries
    • Vegetables: Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, okra, eggplants, sweet corn, field corn
    • Seeds and Grains: Soybeans, rice, pecans, cotton, sorghum, grains
    • Ornamental Plants: Magnolias, sunflowers, holly, mimosa, Eastern rosebud
    • Trees: Maple, elm, oaks, and more

    Given the chance that they are inside, the insects may eat indoor plants, and if any fruit is left unprotected, they may consume that, too. The ability of stink bugs to feed on such a vast array of fruits and vegetables is what explains their rapid reproduction and significant destruction to the agricultural sector and gardens.

    What Are Stink Bugs Good For?

    At first sight, the majority of people don’t think of stink bugs in any way other than being pests. Surprisingly, the truth is that they do have a positive side. Namely, what are stink bugs good for?

    Natural Pest Control

    Some types of stink bugs are predatory and they eat such destructive insects for crops as caterpillars, beetles and even other stink bugs feeding on plants. This is why destructive pests would make good allies for farmers and gardeners who want to control them.

    Ecosystem Balance

    The process of vectoring by stink bugs allows the plant to trigger the production of compounds that serve as a natural shield against the pests. Those plants that face future pest problems will be more healthy and ‘less tasty’ due to this variety.

    Food Source

    In some parts of the world, such as Asia, stink bugs are a good source of protein and essential nutrients.An added advantage to this is that they help in the reduction of crop destruction caused by the stink bugs as they are eaten.

    What-Are-Stink-Bugs-Good-For

    Well, this is all true, but it should be taken into account that the brown marmorated stink bug and those of a similar nature are the most common stink bugs in the US, and thus, such insects are firstly plant-eaters of the crops and are not beneficial insects.

    Are Stink Bugs Poisonous?

    The question about the poisonous nature of stink bugs is popular among homeowners and most often stands like “Can stink bugs hurt you?” The answer is “Yes”. This is the fact that stink bugs secrete a substance from their glands, which produces an insufferable odor, thereby not letting their enemies attack their bodies. The question is, if stink bugs poisonous? Stink bugs are poisonous in the sense that they produce a bad smell that cats and dogs detest, and this can be toxic to the animals, but the bugs can also be big environmental protectors.

    • Human Health: The release of the liquid is potentially responsible for mild allergic reactions in some people, such as sneezing, itchy eyes, or skin irritation (dermatitis), but isolated cases are rare. If a stink bug bites you, just wash your hands with clean water and soap.
    • Pets: Stink bug secretions are report to be non-poisonous to cats and dogs, but the odor may be irritating.

    To sum up, it is fair to say that stink bugs which cause humans no direct harm can affect their health, and in the case of pets are a bigger nuisance without harming the two-legged roommates.

    Stink Bug Infestation: What You Need to Know

    Infestation of the stink bugs is not easy to manage once it gets into your home, especially during the fall season, as they are seeking warmth, hence they try getting indoors more than ever. Here is how you can find and manage the infestation:

    Stink-Bug-Infestation
    1. Signs of Infestation: Looking at numerous stink bugs gathering on walls, windows, or within your home, especially in cooler times of the year.
    2. Prevention: This is the simplest way of preventing the invasion: it is to seal cracks in and around the windows, doors, siding, utility pipes, and chimneys. Another major move is to repair and replace broken screens and to trim down the outdoor vegetation, thus fewer havens are left for the pests.
    3. Removal: Indoor stink bugs can be remove using a vacuum cleaner. They emit an unpleasant smell. If they have become too much, call a pest control expert. More so in the case of severe invasions, a pest control professional must be contact.
    4. Lifecycle: Female stink bugs are capable of laying hundreds of eggs, so this can quickly lead to a large population.

    Conclusion

    At the beginning, knowing what do stink bugs eat is the most crucial factor in controlling these very stubborn pests. Although we identify stink bugs as a plant-feeding insect species that can make a mess of the crops and gardens, they also have a minor role in natural pest control and ecosystem balance. Wondering if stink bugs are useful is a bit tricky to answer because even though they are not bad, they’re causing more and more problems for farmers

    Fortunately, the stink bug odor cannot endanger the life of humans and animals, yet be unbearable and, in the case of some allergic reactions, even be fatal. If you find that there is a stink bug infestation in your home, you will need to take the preventative measures immediately, or you will be sure to succeed in having a bug-free home, garden, or farm.

    People have the information they need to avoid or get rid of stink bugs, they won’t have to worry about them in their territory. If your home, garden, or farm is under a stink bug attack, be sure to instantly look for advice from pest experts for professional ways to get rid of the problem.