Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies (Hemiptera) » True Bugs (Heteroptera) » Pentatomomorpha » Pentatomoidea » Stink Bugs (Pentatomidae) » Predatory Stink Bugs (Asopinae) » Perillus » Two-spotted Stink Bug (Perillus bioculatus)

Species Perillus bioculatus - Two-spotted Stink Bug

Two-spotted Stink Bug - Perillus bioculatus

Perillus bioculatus or splendidus? - Perillus bioculatus

Beautiful stink bug! - Perillus bioculatus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hemiptera (True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Aphids and Allies)

Suborder Heteroptera (True Bugs)

Infraorder Pentatomomorpha

Superfamily Pentatomoidea

Family Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)

Subfamily Asopinae (Predatory Stink Bugs)

Genus Perillus

Species bioculatus (Two-spotted Stink Bug)

Explanation of Names

Perillus bioculatus (Fabricius 1775)

Size

8.5-11.5 mm(1)

Identification

Bold pattern is distinctive, though color variable. P. circumcinctus is very similar(2)

red color is due to carotin pigment obtained from the bodies of the Colorado potato beetle upon which they feed.

bugs will change from white, or yellow to red and the change is unidirectional (1)

Range

across so. Canada and the US to Mexico(1); recently introduced to Greece & Turkey(3); originally a western species that spread eastward following its principal prey, the Colorado Potato Beetle(4)

Food

primarily preys on Colorado Potato Beetle(4) and other chrysomelids(1) but also on caterpillars

Life Cycle

each individual is capable of destroying an average of 231.5 Colorado potato beetle eggs during its nymphal development and 150 to 200 larvae during its lifetime.(1)

See Also

Harlequin Bug • Anchor Stink Bug

Internet References

University of Alberta

Impact on Colorado potato beetle

Works Cited

1.	The Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera) of Northeastern North America J.E. McPherson. 1982. Southern Illinois University Press.

2.	How to Know the True Bugs Slater, James A., and Baranowski, Richard M. 1978. Wm. C. Brown Company.

3.	Alien terrestrial arthropods of Europe Roques A., Kenis M., Lees D., Lopez-Vaamonde C., Rabitsch W., Rasplus J.-Y., Roy D., eds. 2010. BioRisk 4 Special Issue; 2 vols., 1028 pp.

4.	Annotated checklist of the Pentatomidae (Heteroptera) of Connecticut O'Donnell J.E., Schaefer C.W. 2012. Great Lakes Entomologist 45: 220-234.

Contributed by Joel Kits on 24 March, 2005 - 9:20am
Additional contributions by cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, v belov
Last updated 22 June, 2017 - 11:05am

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by: