Family Pentatomidae - Stink Bugs

Shield Bugs (mostly used to refer to Acanthosomatidae and thus not recommended)

Greek pente 'five' + tom- 'section, cut' (a reference to the 5-segmented antennae)

Pentatomids produce odors from thoracic glands for self-defense, thus the English name

ca. 220 species in ~60 genera in NA, arranged in 5 subfamilies in our area(1); almost 5000 spp. in ca. 900 genera of 10 subfamilies worldwide(2)

Overview of our fauna (DRAFT):

Family PENTATOMIDAE

Taxa not yet in the guide are marked (*). Questionable records not included.

Subfamily Asopinae

Alcaeorrhynchus, *Andrallus, Apateticus, Apoecilus, Euthyrhynchus, Oplomus, Perillus, Picromerus, Podisus, *Rhacognathus, Stiretrus, Tylospilus, Zicrona

Subfamily Discocephalinae

Lineostethus

Subfamily Edessinae

Edessa, *Neopharnus

Subfamily Pentatominae

Tribe Aeliini *Aelia, Neottiglossa

Tribe Agonoscelidini Agonoscelis

Tribe Cappaeini Halyomorpha

Tribe Carpocorini Antheminia, Coenus, Cosmopepla, Euschistus, Holcostethus, Hymenarcys, Kermana, Menecles, Moromorpha, Mormidea, Oebalus, *Padaeus, Prionosoma, Proxys, Trichopepla

Tribe Catacanthini *Runibia, Vulsirea

Tribe Chlorocorini Arvelius, Chlorocoris, Loxa

Tribe Halyini Brochymena

Tribe Mecideini Mecidea

Tribe Nezarini Chinavia, Chlorochroa, Nezara

Tribe Pentatomini Banasa, Cyptocephala, Pharypia, Tepa, Thyanta

Tribe Piezodorini *Brepholoxa, *Odmalea, Piezodorus

Tribe Procleticini Dendrocoris

Tribe Sciocorini Sciocoris

Tribe Strachiini Bagrada, Murgantia

Subfamily Podopinae

Tribe Podopini *Allopodops, Amaurochrous, *Neapodops, *Notopodops, *Oncozygia, *Weda

5-18 mm

Characteristics of family:

worldwide and throughout NA

spring through fall (overwinters as an adult under ground cover or leaf litter)

The majority of our spp. are herbivorous, but members of one subfamily (Asopinae) are predaceous, often seen preying on other insects. Both adults and nymphs of plant-feeding species may damage plants, mostly by piercing the plant tissues and thus opening a path for pathogens to enter the plant.

Barrel-shaped eggs are laid on the underside of leaves in clusters with tight rows; in early spring, overwintered adult females seek out suitable hosts and typically deposit their eggs on wild host plants. Often these overwintering populations are found along field borders, particularly along tree lines near their overwintering sites. Later-developing cultivated plants become more attractive when these initial wild hosts dry down, and their proximity allows easy access for stink bug colonization in crops; emerging nymphs are gregarious and remain on/near the egg mass, then begin to feed and disperse as they grow.