Hobbies And Interests
Appearance
Stink bugs range from 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch in length. Adult stink bugs have four wings, antennae and six legs. The back of the stink bug is shaped like a shield. A slightly raised triangular structure, called a scutellum, forms part of the insect's covering. Stink bugs appear in colors such as green, brown and gray. They can also have patterns of orange, yellow or red on them. Both the green stink bug and the southern green stink bug are green with orange around the edges. The harlequin bug is a stink bug that is black and has orange or yellow markings.
Habitat
Originally inhabitants of East Asia, there are now 250 species of stink bugs that live all over North America. The insects live in gardens, farms and orchards. The harlequin bug ranges from New England to Colorado. The green stink bug lives in most parts of the United States and southern Canada, while the southern green stink bug is common in the southeast. If you have a flower or a vegetable garden that is not sprayed with insecticides, you may notice stink bugs on your plants. Stink bugs are active during the day; however, darker-colored stink bug species, who live beneath leaves and in thick grasses, are active during the night.
Diet
Stink bugs mainly drink the juices of plants, fruits and vegetables. They are attracted to fruits, such as tomatoes and melons, and crops, such as cabbages, cottons, squashes and soybeans. Certain stink bugs, such as the spined shouldered stink bug, can prey on other insects. Although stink bugs rarely interact with humans, they can harm a human's food source by causing damage to crops. When stink bugs eat fruits such as tomatoes, their toxic saliva enters the fruit and kills its cells. Dead cells in the tomatoes can lead to scarring or hardened masses in the fruit. The time to watch for stink bugs damaging crops is from spring through late fall when they are the most active.
Mothering
Female stink bugs lay about 20 to 30 barrel-shaped eggs in clusters. In the insect world, it is rare to see insects mothering or caring for their young. Mother stink bugs, however, may stay and guard their eggs after they have laid them. Mother stink bugs can wave their antennae or buzz their wings nosily to scare away an approaching predator. They can also use their middle and back legs to kick at something that is bothering their young. In the species known as Elasmucha grisea, mother stink bugs guard their young even after they are hatched and grown. The baby stink bug can lay down a scent trail that its mother can follow if it is in danger.