Stink Bug or Spined Soldier Bug?

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Pete2 Richmond Hill, GA(Zone 8b) Jul 05, 2001

On another thread we were talking about stink bugs being easily confused with spined soldier bugs. Here are the descriptions of the two bugs...our friend, the spined soldier bug and our annoying little pest, the stink bug. After each description, there are some links to some pretty good pictures that might help with the correct ID. You may notice that there does appear to be a point on the shoulders of _some_ stink bugs but once you see how "pointy" and jagged the shoulders are of a spined soldier bug are, you will be able to tell the difference. Hope this helps!

Stink Bug:
Description:
Adults are shield-shaped, 1/2-5/8 inch long, and colored green, tan, brown, or gray; one species has bright harlequin markings. Nymphs are oval, similar to adults, but wingless. Eggs are barrel-shaped. Adults emit a foul smell when disturbed.
http://www.ento.vt.edu/Fruitfiles/StinkBugs.html
http://cahri.terrashare.com/stinkbugs.html
http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/AG295/html/stink_bugs_and_leaffooted_bugs.htm
http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/AG271/soybeans/stink_bugs.html
http://news.siu.edu/windows/22801/bugs.html
http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegal/hemiptera/stinkbug/3938.1stinkbug.html
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r114301711.html

Spined Soldier Bugs:
Description:
Adults are shield-shaped bugs, 1/2 inch long, grayish brown and covered with black flecks; they have sharp points on their thorax. They are very similar to pests called stink bugs. Nymphs are oval and similar to adults but are wingless. Eggs are metallic bronze and barrel-shaped.
http://entowww.tamu.edu/images/insects/fieldguide/aimg80.html
http://www.biconet.com/biocontrol/podisus.html
http://cahri.terrashare.com/soldierbugs.html
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/predators/podisus.html
http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/kyf208.html


Terri



Post #7832
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louisa Troy, VA(Zone 7a) Jul 05, 2001

Thanks for the links Terri - or not...lol! They are disgusting looking insects. I hope they don't fly my way!!

Post #90491
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Pete2 Richmond Hill, GA(Zone 8b) Jul 05, 2001

They are pretty disgusting aren't they? LOL

Terri

Post #90623
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ohiorganic New Paris, OH Jul 05, 2001

I watched 2 of them eat a cabbage worm. Sucked it dry. But this was after I wiped out a bunch of hatchlings that I thought were something else. And now I think I have been killing the eggs too. I feel like kicking myself.

Post #90686
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Pete2 Richmond Hill, GA(Zone 8b) Jul 06, 2001

Oops! I know how you feel, Lucy. They are pretty hard to tell apart.

Terri

Post #91279
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