Pentatomidae+A+True+Bug+Who+Doesn’t+Need+To+Hide

Figure 1 Taxonomy:
 * Pentatomidae: A True Bug Who Doesn’t Need To Hide **

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Anthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Hemiptera

Suborder: Heteroptera

 Family: Pentatomidae

Common name: Stink Bugs Description: The stink bug is a small insect that ranges normally between 5-18 mm. They have a general variety of colors ranging from brown, green or metallic with shape of their bodies varying between oval, broad and/or slightly convex, many have a “shield” shaped body. These combinations of colors and shapes can help it be less noticeable to those in its surroundings. Some species are sexual dimorphic, meaning male and females show differences in appearance compared to species which do not have sexual dimorphism. They are most noteworthy characteristic is the pungent odor they give off when they are threatened or simply even where they are resting to pre-warn any predators to their foul taste and smell. (1) They have five-segmented antennae, which are on a relatively small head which often “tucked” into a concavity of the pronotum.

All stink bugs are generalist feeders but many are primarily herbivorous. Many leave distinguishable “bruises” on the plants and fruits they feed off, because of the open puncture wound they leave behind after feeding. (2) One subfamily, Asopinae, are predacious stink bugs which primarily feed off of other insects. These little predacious insects will pierce through caterpillars silken shelters, using their rostrum to drain the nutrients out of them. One species //Picromerus bidens// is very distinguishable from other stink bugs for a large spine on the front leg, which can help tear through silken shelters which the rostrum cannot penetrate otherwise. (4) Figure 2 Life Cycle: Pentatomidae undergoes incomplete metamorphosis making it Hemimetabolic. Eggs are laid on the underside of leaves in clusters organized in tight rows. (2) Eggs are barreled in shape and can vary in color between species from a creamy white to green or yellow. All eggs change colors as they begin to hatch opening up to a juvenile nymph. Nymphs share similar shape as their adult counter-parts but do not share the same color scheme, generally a duller or lighter shade of their adult forms and some cases will have a series of spots on their backs which disappear with maturity. Nymph go through five instars from hatching to adulthood which takes about five weeks for this process. As they mature they develop into their adult colors and size. (3) When comes wintering months, adults will either burrow underground or compact leaf-litter to survive the cooling weather. Some females will lay their egg clusters on a few specific host plants in order for the clutch to survive the winter months. When the temperature begins to warm, around 21 Co they begin to get active and start laying multiple clusters of 36 eggs around mid or late June. (3) Figure 3

Figure4 Ecological Impact: Because many stink bugs are herbivorous, many crops are in danger of being damaged by them. Because they are Hemimetabolic, from the moment they leave the egg they begin to start feeding and having nymph/adult in the same area eating the same food causes many problems. Because they pierce the protective layers of the plants leaving open wounds, bruising the body leaves it open to disease and infection.(3) Many crops, especially soy and other beans based crops, can be damaged heavily in September or early October when many second generation clutches have hatched and there are at least three generations of stink bugs feeding off of one area.

References (1) "Stinkbug." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. < [] >. (2) Bartlett, Troy. "Family Pentatomidae - Stink Bugs." //BUG GUIDE//. N.p., 16 February 2004. Web. 10 Nov 2013. <[]>. (3). N.p.. Web. 10 Nov 2013. . (4) Marshall, Stephen. //Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity//. Buffalo,NY: Firefly Books, 2006. Print. I mages Fig (1) [] Fig (3) [] Fig (2) [] Fig (4)[]

By N. Peloquin