What Do Stink Bugs Eat?
Stink bug is the common name of insects in the family Pentatomidae. They get the name “stink bug” from the unpleasant odor they produce when they are threatened. Scientists think the bugs use the odor as a defense against predators.
There are hundreds of species of stink bugs in the United States. In the adult stage, they may be green or brown. Some are brightly colored and some have patterns on their backs. Many adult stink bugs reach ¾ in length.
In the immature, or nymph stage, the color varies from black to white. Some nymphs have white spots, which disappear as they mature. Some nymphs change color several times as they grow.
Most stink bugs are plant feeders. The first generation of the spring often feed on weeds or grasses. As they develop into adults, they often migrate into fields, orchards, and residential landscapes.
In these environments, stink bugs feed on apples, peaches, berries, peppers, beans, and pecans. They also feed on field crops like sorghum and cotton. Around homes, stink bugs have been found feeding on ornamental plants.
When stink bugs feed on fruits, like peaches or apples, they use their mouth to pierce the skin of the fruit. The insect injects a small amount of saliva into the fruit. The saliva is toxic to the cells of the fruit, so when the damaged fruit grows, it develops a scar. The scar causes the fruit to look like the face of a cat. Because of this, some people call stink bugs “cat-facing insects”.
Stink bugs also feed on stems and leaves of plants. Besides making fruit unfit for sale, stink bugs allow other insects to enter the fruit. The stink bugs can also spread plant diseases. These plant feeding stink bugs can become serious pests in farms, orchards, and gardens.
A few species of stink bugs do not feed on plants. They are predators of insects that attack plants. These predatory stink bugs have been found feeding on velvet bean caterpillars, root weevils, Colorado potato beetles, and Southern green stink bugs. Because of this, most gardeners consider the predatory stink bugs to be beneficial.
Many homeowners do not notice stink bugs around their home until the bugs move inside. The bugs are not very welcome because of their large size and unpleasant odor.