Other Common Names
Alfalfa Bug, Red-shouldered Stink Bug
Range
In North America, it occurs in the southeast, as far north as Arkansas, as far east as South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and as far west as New Mexico. (1)
Food
Feeds on seeds of legumes such as soybeans, alfalfa, Indigofera spp.
Life Cycle
Red shouldered stink bug populations increase more slowly than populations of southern green stink bug because female RSSB lay fewer eggs (an average of 50 eggs compared to over 100 for southern green stink bug) and RSSB nymphs take longer to develop. Despite the slower population growth, it has been estimated that five to eight generations of Piezodorus guildinii may occur in a single growing season. Because so many generations may occur within a single season, generations begin to overlap (i.e., adults, nymphs, and eggs may be present simultaneously in the same field) by mid July. When all life stages are present, chemical control measures may be less effective if some of the life stages are not susceptible to the control measure. For instance, eggs and small nymphs reside predominantly in the middle third of the soybean canopy on leaves, stems and pods; insecticide coverage in the middle and lower third of the plant canopy may be difficult to achieve. In addition, eggs are often unaffected by insecticides. (1)
Remarks
An important pest of soybeans in the south-east.
No common name is currently recognized by the Entomological Society of America for Piezodorus guildinii; however, consultants, producers and extension agents in Louisiana and Texas have been referring to this insect as the red shouldered stink bug. This choice of common name has led to some confusion, because Thyanta species are also referred to by this common name. (1)
Internet References
biology and lab study with soybeans plus common name reference (Emerson Oliveira and Antonio Panizzi, Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology)
