Clickable Guide

Interactive image map to choose major taxa

Calendar

Upcoming Events

National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Species Cosmopepla lintneriana - Twice-stabbed Stink Bug

Twice-stabbed Stink Bug - Cosmopepla lintneriana

Twice-stabbed Stink Bug (Cosmopepla lintneriana)? - Cosmopepla lintneriana

Orange and Black Beetle - Cosmopepla lintneriana

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 Pentatominae

Tribe Carpocorini

Genus Cosmopepla

Species lintneriana (Twice-stabbed Stink Bug)

Other Common Names

Wee Harlequin Bug, Two-spotted Stink Bug

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

many of the records for this species are under its synonyms, Cosmopepla bimaculata (Thomas 1865) or C. carnifex (Fabricius 1798)(1)

Explanation of Names

Cosmopepla lintneriana (Kirkaldy 1909)

Size

4.7‒6.5 mm(2)

Range

transcontinental, Canada to Mexico (NT‒BC‒NF to CA‒TX‒GA) - Map (1)(3), mostly a northern sp, uncommon in the sw US

Food

polyphagous(4), common on common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca in Ohio(5)

Life Cycle

Females lay eggs in clusters on host plants and guard them. Overwinters as adults under leaf litter.

Remarks

Adults may be seen crawling on leaf litter in early spring soon after snowmelt on sunny days

Print References

McDonald F.J.D. (1968) The life history of Cosmopepla bimaculata (Thomas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Alberta. Quaest. Entomol. 4: 35‒38.

Works Cited

1.	A distributional synopsis of the Pentatomidae (Heteroptera) north of Mexico, including new state and provincial records Rider, D.A. and Swanson, D.R. 2021. Zootaxa, 5015(1), 1–69.

2.	Revision of Cosmopepla Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) McDonald F.J.D. 1986. J. N.Y. Ent. Soc. 94: 1–15.

3.	Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

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

5.	Survey of Hemiptera collected on common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, at one site in Ohio. Dailey, P.J., R.C. Graves, and J.L. Herring. 1978. Entomological News 89(7&8): 157-162.

Contributed by Cotinis on 1 September, 2004 - 6:54am
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Mike Quinn, Ron M., v belov
Last updated 5 June, 2025 - 11:27am

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 © 2003-2025 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version