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Extension Entomology

Brown Stink Bug

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Article author: Suhas Vyavhare
Most recently reviewed by: (1970)

Common Name(s): Brown Stink Bug

Description

Adult brown stink bugs are long, shield-shaped, grayish-brown insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts. They are about 1/2 inch (13 mm) long. The nymphs resemble adults but are smaller, oval and are usually pale green.

Origin and Distribution

Brown stink bugs can be found across much of North America and throughout the midwestern United States. Euschistus servus is the most common species of Euschistus in the United States. Subspecies, Euschistus servus euschistoides occurs in the northern United States and E. servus servus occurs in the southern United States. 

Habitat & Hosts

Brown stink bugs have a wide host range. The following plant species are known to be hosts: corn, soybean, wheat, oats, sunflower, sugar beet, alfalfa, clover, tobacco, cotton, tomato, cabbage, bean, pepper, squash, pea, okra, cantaloupe, blueberry, raspberry, grape, cherry, blackberry, apple, pear, peach, citrus, and pecan.

Life Cycle

Adults overwinter under objects such as crop debris, leaves, dead weeds, ground cover, stones, and under the bark of trees. Stink bugs become active during the first warm days of spring. Normally the first generation develops on non-crop hosts, while the subsequent generations develop on cultivated crops. Each female oviposits about 18 egg masses, averaging 60 eggs per egg mass, over a period of >100 days. The eggs are yellowish-translucent and turn light pink before hatching. The nymphs develop through five instars. It takes approximately four to five weeks from hatching to adult emergence.

Management

If you live in the State of Texas, contact your local county agent or entomologist for management information. If you live outside of Texas, contact your local extension for management options.

Cultural practices such as using trap crop and adjusting planting dates may help avoid severe stink bug infestations to some extent. Broad-spectrum insecticides are generally effective and commonly used for stink bug management. Compared to other stink bugs, brown stink bugs are more difficult to control with some pyrethroid insecticides. Because flying adult stink bugs can re-infest crop fields after an insecticide application, continued scouting is imperative.

Related Publications

Soybean Insects: Late-Season Pests (R1 to R7)

Citations

Gomez, C., R. F. Mizell III, and A. C. Hodges. 2008.  Brown stink bug. University of Florida Extension. http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/bean/brown_stink_bug.htm

Koch, R. L., D. T. Pezzini, A. P. Michel, and T. E. Hunt. 2017. Identification, Biology, Impacts, and Management of Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) of Soybean and Corn in the Midwestern United States. Journal of Integrated Pest Management 8.

McPherson JE, McPherson RM. 2000. Stink Bugs of Economic Importance in America North of Mexico. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. 104 pp.

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Argiope

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Article author:
Most recently reviewed by: David Kerns & Janet Hurley (2020)

Common Name(s): argiope

Description

The word Argiope means “with a bright face” in Latin. Like all spiders, they have a cephalothorax, abdomen, eight legs, fangs, and a silk spinner. Being an orb weaver, spiders in the genus Argiope spp. have a unique third claw on each leg that is used to assist in the weaving of the spider’s complex webs. Their webs are often large and have a zig-zag pattern in the center. The reason for this pattern is unknown, though it is thought that it may be used to attract prey. Argiope spp. spiders consume and rebuild their web every day. Known for their black and yellow patterns on their body, and occasionally an orange and/or black pattern on their legs, these spiders are incredibly beautiful and easily recognized. As with most spiders the females of this genus are larger than their male counterparts. Females are usually around ¾” to 1 ⅛” while males are usually ¼” to ⅜” in size. These spiders are found all over the world and in the lower 48 states of the U.S.A.

Habitat & Hosts

Argiope spp.  spiders are not a pest in the traditional sense of the word as they do not feed on crops or garden plants, but to those who are afraid of spiders it can be considered a pest. As with most spiders, Argiope spp. are beneficial organisms because they kill and consume insect pests that damage crops and garden plants.

Life Cycle

Argiope spp. mate once a year. Mature male spiders roam in search of potential mates. Once a suitable mate has been found, the male then builds a web with a zig-zag pattern either in the middle of or on the outer area of the female’s web and begins to pluck the female’s web as a courting gesture. Once impregnated females lay one or more egg sacs in her web close to her resting position. Each egg sac contains anywhere between 300 to 1400 eggs. The mother watches over her eggs but will usually die at the first hard frost. Spiders usually hatch around autumn or summer and look similar to their adult counterparts. Most spiders usually live for around a year though some females can live for multiple years in warmer climates. Most males usually die after mating.

Citations

Hammond, G. 2002. “Argiope aurantia” (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 17, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Argiope_aurantia/

Hawkinson, C. ND, “Galveston Master Gardeners Beneficials in the Garden, Black and Yellow Argiope Spider” (On-line), Aggie-Horticulture, Accessed April 17, 2020 at https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/beneficials/beneficial-24_spider_blackandyellow_argiope.htm

Murray, M. 2018. “What is a spider” (On-line), Australia Museum, Accessed April 17, 2020 at https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/species-identification/ask-an-expert/what-is-a-spiders/

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Thrips

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Article author: Kerry Siders
Most recently reviewed by: Suhas Vyavhare & Pat Porter (2020)

Common Name(s): Thrips

Description

Thrips are slender, cigar-shaped, straw-colored insects about 1/15-inch-long as an adult. They have piercing and sucking, cone-shaped mouthparts. Adults have narrow wings fringed with hairs and can drift long distances in the wind. Due to their small size, thrips are often difficult to see.

Habitat & Hosts

Onion thrips have an extremely wide host range. They feed and can reproduce on several cultivated crops including onion, cotton, beans, fruits, vegetables, and practically all small grains. Citrus thrips feed on leaves and fruit of most all species of citrus tree plants. Greenhouse thrips feed on a wide range of horticulture plants. Gladiolus thrips feed on gladiolus and other species of flowers. Western flower thrips feed on a wide variety of plants including chrysanthemums, gloxinia, impatiens, tomato, cotton, vegetables, and grasses. Some plants species, varieties and cultivars are more attractive to the thrips than others.

Life Cycle

In the thrips life cycle, egg-to-adult development takes about 16 days. Eggs inserted into the plant tissue by the female’s sharp egg-laying tube (ovipositor) hatch in about 6 days. Two larval stages require about 6 days for completion; then, the prepupal and pupal stages take an additional 4 days and generally occur in the soil. The average life span of a mated female is about 35 days, and each female can produce fifty or more eggs. Thrips can reproduce without mating. Mated females produce both males and females; unmated females produce only males.

Management

If you live in the State of Texas, contact your local county agent or entomologist for management information. If you live outside of Texas, contact your local extension for management options.

Thrips management needs and strategies vary across commodities. Avoid planting cotton during cool conditions so that young plants will not be affected when plants are most susceptible to thrips damage. Not planting cotton near small grains and onions or adjusting planting date helps alleviate thrips migration into the field. Chemical control is an effective way of managing thrips. Chemical control options include insecticide application (foliar/in-furrow) and/or seed treatments.

Related Publications

http://lubbock.tamu.edu/files/2017/05/Thrips_ENTO-069.pdf

Citations

Suhas Vyavhare, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist David Kerns, Professor, IPM Coordinator and Extension Specialist. ENTO-069. 2017. Thrips. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

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Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

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Article author: Dalton Ludwick
Most recently reviewed by: Pat Porter & Extension Entomologist at Weslaco (Vacant) (2021)

Common Name(s): Brown marmorated stink bug

Description

Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stål, is an invasive stink bug species in the United States. This stink bug belongs to the family Pentatomidae. Hundreds of native stink bugs exist in the United States; some stink bug species are predatory and feed on other arthropods while other species are herbivorous and feed on plant tissues.

Brown marmorated stink bugs have five-segmented antennae with alternating black and white markings. On adults, black and white abdominal segments protrude from the margins of the wings when at rest. Adults range in size from 1/2 to 5/8”. Furthermore, immature brown marmorated stink bug have black and white markings present on the hind legs..

Populations of this pest can go unchecked allowing for immeasurable numbers of this pest. Where brown marmorated stink bug populations build, nuisance issues can occur in springs and falls when overwintering adult insects seek out shelter in human-made structures or emerge from their shelters.

Fifth instar brown marmorated stink bug nymph. Image by Yerpo under CC-BY-SA-3.0.

Origin and Distribution

Brown marmorated stink bug is native to China but the species has invaded other countries including South Korea, Japan, and the United States. Brown marmorated stink bug has been found in 46 states in the United States. Population size and resulting damage vary from state to state ranging from detections to severe infestations and agricultural damage.

 

EDDMapS. 2021. Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System. The University of Georgia – Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. Available online at http://www.eddmaps.org/; last accessed February 15, 2021.

Habitat & Hosts

Brown marmorated stink bug is an herbivorous insect with a wide range of host plants (Leskey et al. 2012a, Bergmann et al. 2016). Hosts include unmanaged wildlands where plants such as tree of heaven, black walnut, and cherry species grow as well as managed areas growing vegetables, ornamentals, small fruits, and tree fruit. As a result of the wide host range and its ability to disperse, this stink bug will travel across the landscape to find suitable hosts. Brown marmorated stink bug typically is found feeding on foliage and fruiting structures of plants.

Life Cycle

Brown marmorated stink bug follows the life cycle of a true bug: egg, nymph, and adult. Depending on the location, up to two generations can occur. In Texas, it is probable that brown marmorated stink bug would have two generations similar to other southern regions in the United States.

The first stage encountered in the spring is the adult. Adults emerge from overwintering sites (e.g., homes, human-made structures, tree bark) once temperatures and daylengths are favorable. Adults will then seek out sources of food, including tree of heaven and many other hosts. Adult females require more time to prepare for mating, but they will start mating in the spring. After mating, females will typically lay egg masses on the underside of leaves. On average, there are approximately 28 eggs/mass.

Upon hatch, first instar immature insects emerge from eggs almost simultaneously and reside on top of the egg mass. After reaching the second instar, the insects move off the egg mass and onto plant tissues where they feed. All immature stages past the second instar continue to feed on the plant. After completing their immature development, the adult brown marmorated stink bugs will feed, mate, and lay egg masses for the next generation.

Management

If you live in the State of Texas, contact your local county agent or entomologist for management information. If you live outside of Texas, contact your local extension for management options.

Management varies significantly by situation and crop. There are more than 170 plant species than can be used as hosts, including field/sweet corn, cotton, soybeans, hemp, apple, peach, and other crops.,

If you live in the State of Texas, contact your local county agent or entomologist for management information. If you live outside of Texas, then contact your local extension for management options.

Related Publications

Management of brown marmorated stink bug in specialty crops. StopBMSB.

Citations

Bergmann, E. J., P.D. Venugopal, H.M. Martinson, M.J. Raupp, and P. M. Shrewsbury. 2016. Host plant use by the invasive Halyomorpha halys (Stål) on woody ornamental trees and shrubs. PLoS One. 11: e0149975.

Leskey, T.C., G.C. Hamilton, A.L. Nielsen, D.F. Polk, C. Rodriguez-Saona, J.C. Bergh, D.A. Herbert, T.P. Kuhar, D. Pfeiffer, G.P. Dively, C.R.R. Hooks, M.J. Raupp, P.M. Shrewsbury, G. Krawczyk, P.W. Shearer, J. Whalen, C. Koplinka-Loehr, E. Myers, D. Inkley, K.A. Hoelmer, D.-H. Lee, S.E. Wright. 2012. Pest status of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys in the USA. Outlooks on Pest Management. 23: 218–226.

Bugwood Images

Thrips

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Article author: Kerry Siders
Most recently reviewed by: Suhas Vyavhare & Pat Porter (2020)

Common Name(s): Thrips

Description

Thrips are slender, cigar-shaped, straw-colored insects about 1/15-inch-long as an adult. They have piercing and sucking, cone-shaped mouthparts. Adults have narrow wings fringed with hairs and can drift long distances in the wind. Due to their small size, thrips are often difficult to see.

Habitat & Hosts

Onion thrips have an extremely wide host range. They feed and can reproduce on several cultivated crops including onion, cotton, beans, fruits, vegetables, and practically all small grains. Citrus thrips feed on leaves and fruit of most all species of citrus tree plants. Greenhouse thrips feed on a wide range of horticulture plants. Gladiolus thrips feed on gladiolus and other species of flowers. Western flower thrips feed on a wide variety of plants including chrysanthemums, gloxinia, impatiens, tomato, cotton, vegetables, and grasses. Some plants species, varieties and cultivars are more attractive to the thrips than others.

Gorse Thrips

Gorse Thrips. Photo by George Markin, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Life Cycle

In the thrips life cycle, egg-to-adult development takes about 16 days. Eggs inserted into the plant tissue by the female’s sharp egg-laying tube (ovipositor) hatch in about 6 days. Two larval stages require about 6 days for completion; then, the prepupal and pupal stages take an additional 4 days and generally occur in the soil. The average life span of a mated female is about 35 days, and each female can produce fifty or more eggs. Thrips can reproduce without mating. Mated females produce both males and females; unmated females produce only males

Management

If you live in the State of Texas, contact your local county agent or entomologist for management information. If you live outside of Texas, contact your local extension for management options.

Thrips management needs and strategies vary across commodities. Avoid planting cotton during cool conditions so that young plants will not be affected when plants are most susceptible to thrips damage. Not planting cotton near small grains and onions or adjusting planting date helps alleviate thrips migration into the field. Chemical control is an effective way of managing thrips. Chemical control options include insecticide application (foliar/in-furrow) and/or seed treatments. Seed treatments include the following: clothianidin/Bacillus firmus I-1582, imidacloprid, imidacloprid and thiodicarb, thiamethoxam, thiametoxam and abamectin, thiametoxam and abamectin and imidacloprid.

Related Publications

http://lubbock.tamu.edu/files/2017/05/Thrips_ENTO-069.pdf

Bugwood Images