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The stink bug , which produces an unpleasant odor, is familiar to almost everyone since childhood. This is a common insect found in many temperate countries. Because of its pungent, unpleasant smell, it was rightly called “stinker.” Most often this is what the garden bug is called. However, other types of bedbugs also secrete a special secretion in case of danger, which is why they are also often called stinkbugs.
Origin of the species and description
Photo: Stinkbug
The stink bug is a broad species of member of the family Pentatomidae. It belongs to a large order of bedbugs and is distinguished by its specific aroma. This aroma is not just a stench. This is a special signal for better orientation on the ground, a specific way of communicating with each other, a method of protection from dangers and a method of survival in difficult conditions. For an insect it plays a significant role.
Stink bugs are vegetarians. They prefer to eat the juice of various plants. Only in exceptional situations can a beetle kill and eat another insect. For example, in a desperate situation, when there is no more suitable food. Another important function of the unpleasant secretion is to attract a partner for mating. In this way, the beetle shows its readiness to reproduce and scares away other insects that are nearby.
Video: Stinkbug
The unpleasant aroma emitted by the animal can be compared to the smell of rotten cognac or rotten raspberries. By the sharpness of the stench one can judge the number of insects. For example, if there is a large concentration of bed bugs, one of the types of stink bugs, there will be a constant unpleasant odor in the apartment. It's hard not to notice him.
In addition to bed bugs and garden bugs, there are other types of stink bugs:
- woody;
- grey;
- green;
- birch;
- ruled.
Of all the representatives, garden and tree bugs have the most pungent aroma. Their glands secrete a pungent, very persistent liquid.
How to recognize the presence of an insect in the house
Often insects settle in a house or apartment. The beetle's aroma is reminiscent of rotten raspberries. For a long time, the owner may not be aware of the arrival of a new resident.
The fight should begin immediately if the aroma of raspberries suddenly appears in the house. The stench usually gets worse during the mating season. If no action is taken, the number of beetles will increase significantly.
Beetles can live in ordinary apartments
Appearance and features
Photo: Stink bug
Due to the huge number of species of stink bugs, it is difficult to give them a general description. The species differ in size and body color. The most common type of such beetles is the wood bug. It also emits the most pungent, pungent odor. The wood bug has a light green color. An adult can reach fifteen millimeters in length. In spring and autumn, such a beetle changes color to a darker gray color.
The bug's body shape is round and has small protrusions on the sides. This body structure is characteristic of all representatives of the order of bedbugs. The outer cover of the body is chitinous. At the end of the beetle's back are wings. The wings are usually brown in color. The chitinous cover of the stink bug is its main protective shield against other insects. He's very tough.
Young stink bugs are not much different from adults. They hatch from eggs with a light green oval-shaped cover. The only differences are: the smaller size of the individual and the absence of wings. The beetle's wings appear only after puberty. Before puberty, a small bug manages to shed its shell five times. This is due to the fact that it becomes tight over time. Shedding stops only when the growth of the bug stops.
Reproduction
period for these beetles begins in the spring . As a rule, eggs are laid by bedbugs in the same place where they feed. Clutch size rarely exceeds 40 eggs. As mentioned above, small individuals are almost no different from adults. Due to difficulties encountered during the molting and growth process, few insects survive to sexual maturity.
The lifespan of these insects varies from one to two years; life expectancy depends on many factors.
Where does the stink bug live?
Photo: Stink bug in the apartment
The stink bug is an almost ubiquitous insect. It is widespread throughout the globe. These beetles are found in large numbers in Asia, European countries, Russia, Africa, Australia, North and South America. Some species of individuals are found even in Alaska and Chukotka. Mostly the polar variety of beetles lives there.
Bedbugs are not very fastidious insects. However, they prefer predominantly temperate climates. In such climatic conditions, animals feel more comfortable. The place for breeding and habitat depends on the variety of stink bugs. Some individuals prefer to live close to humans. They settle in private houses and apartments. They choose cracks, places with high humidity, sofas, beds for their home.
Under natural conditions, bedbug settlements live in tree hollows, bird nests and burrows of various animals. In the city, insects choose fallen leaves, sand, basements, and cellars where there is high humidity. In many countries, green bugs are used as medicine. With their help, alcoholism is successfully treated. The bodies of insects are infused with moonshine for several days, and a little is given to a person who is dependent on alcohol. This miracle recipe has more than once allowed me to completely get rid of a bad habit.
How to get rid of bedbugs in an apartment
Although small stink bugs do not pose a danger to humans, being around them is still not so pleasant. Therefore, many gardeners and homeowners are wondering how to get rid of the green stink bug and what will happen if you crush the stink bug.
Today, the most effective means of combating bedbugs is cedar spray . Cedar has long been used by humans as a repellent against various insects. People make wardrobes and hangers from cedar; in order to repel moths from clothes, they put cedar chips in drawers.
According to research, cedar oil is a powerful insecticide , but its effect only applies to a limited space (for example, in a closet). To repel the woodworm, the concentration of essential oil from furniture or a few wood chips in the room will not be enough.
If you wish, you can coat the walls with it , but it is worth considering that this method of getting rid of insects is not suitable for everyone, and a lot of extract will be required. Over the long period of human acquaintance with the stink bug, many ways have been invented to remove the green bug from a living space.
What does the stink bug eat?
Photo: Stinkbug at home
A separate group of bedbugs belongs to hematophagous parasites. They prefer to eat only blood. At the same time, they equally like both animal blood and human blood. The most striking representative of the “bloodsuckers” are bed bugs. They settle in houses and apartments. At night they bite people, feeding on their blood. However, this group is quite small.
Most species of stink bugs are herbivorous and predatory. Herbivores feed on the sap of various plants. Many of them cause significant harm to humans - they destroy agricultural land. Predators, on the contrary, bring great benefits. They destroy the larvae of harmful beetles, eat caterpillars, aphids, and many other insect pests.
The type of plant food depends on the type of stink bug:
- The harmful turtle feeds exclusively on grain crops. Such beetles feast on oats, wheat, and corn;
- Lined scale insects prefer to eat carrots, parsley, and dill;
- the cruciferous bug feeds on radish, cabbage, rapeseed, and other types of similar plants;
- Berry bugs eat currants, gooseberries, and raspberries.
Bedbugs have external digestion. Most predatory species do not immediately consume their prey. First they kill them, then wait for them to decompose. Only then do they begin to suck out nutrients for themselves.
What to do if a stink bug bites a cat?
Stink bugs rarely bite domestic animals, as their main food is various plants. If bites on the cat’s body become noticeable and signs of a severe allergic reaction appear, then you need to contact a veterinarian.
The doctor will examine the bite sites and prescribe the necessary treatment measures (use of special shampoos, other restorative agents). At the same time, it is stink bugs that do not transmit infectious diseases, but consultation with a specialist will not be superfluous.
Features of character and lifestyle
Photo: Stinkbug
The stink bug belongs to the order Hemiptera. They are characterized by the presence of special glands on the cephalothorax, which under certain conditions secrete a smelly liquid. The nature of these animals is quite peaceful. There is only a separate group of predators that hunts and eats other insects. In this case, the smelly liquid is used as a weapon. It has a paralyzing effect on prey. Sometimes it can lead to the death of small insects.
In other cases, the odorous liquid is used only for protection, communication and better coordination on the ground. It scares away enemies and allows you to attract partners for reproduction. Also, for their protection, beetles use a flattened body shape and the color of the cover. They easily penetrate small crevices and camouflage themselves among green plants and leaves.
Stink bugs lead a measured lifestyle. Beetles spend the warmer months searching for food or a mating partner. They live in gardens, apartments, damp basements, forests, and vegetable gardens. Stink bugs have wings, but they rarely use them to move. The wings have a small span. They help the beetle to rise just a little above the surface. The bugs have to get food and find a place to spend the night with the help of their tenacious legs.
With the onset of the first cold weather, the beetle begins to look for a suitable, secluded place to hibernate. The stink bug most often chooses fallen leaves for this purpose. It burrows deep into it and hibernates until warmer weather sets in.
How dangerous is an insect?
The stink bug has a piercing-sucking type of mouthparts. He pierces the stems of plants with a special proboscis and sucks out the juice necessary for the functioning of his body. The insect is dangerous as a pest of various crops and can destroy an entire crop.
If we talk about the negative impact on humans, then only bed bugs drink blood and can be sources of various infections. Wood insects emit a characteristic unpleasant odor, which can take root in an apartment for a long time if the parasite has taken up residence in it.
Social structure and reproduction
Photo: Insect stink bug
In the social structure of bedbugs, the strongest always takes precedence. Competition is especially evident during the breeding season. Males at this time become quite aggressive. They can attack other males and even representatives of other insects. For example, cockroaches often become their victims. There is no clearly defined mating season for these animals. They can breed almost all year round.
To mate, they only need to meet two conditions:
- comfortable air temperature. For them, this is a temperature of twenty to thirty degrees above zero;
- a nearby power source. There is one for each type of bug. Some people need berries, others need grain crops.
Stink bugs reach maturity at the age of 1.5 months. For them, a traumatic method of prolongation is inherent. They penetrate the female's abdomen with their genitals and leave their seed there. Then the female can use the resulting seed at her discretion. Typically, females lay eggs in very small portions as needed. The rest of the seed can remain in the female’s body for a long time.
This method of laying eggs is a high guarantee of the safety of the genus of stink bugs even during periods of lack of food. However, in general, the fertility of this bug is low. Females lay from 20 to 200 eggs. Stink bug eggs have a special “lid”. At a certain moment, this cap opens and a first instar larva emerges from the egg.
Natural enemies of the stink bug
Photo: Stink bug beetle
The main enemy of stink bugs are telenomines. They parasitize eggs. The phasia fly causes similar harm. These pests destroy the future legacy of bedbugs. They lay their offspring directly into bedbug eggs. The emerging larvae eat the remains of organic tissue. Hedgehogs also love to eat bedbugs. They eat both larvae and adults. The green toad can also be called an enemy of stink bugs. Amphibians prefer to eat not only water striders, but also other varieties of stink bugs.
The natural enemies of such bugs are birds. They are eaten not only by forest birds, but also by domestic birds. For example, chickens. Chickens are often allowed out for walks in the vegetable garden in order to destroy pests. Less often, bedbugs become victims of small rodents, such as the vole mouse, as well as cats and dogs. The latter can play with it for a long time before eating the beetle.
Stink bugs in the treatment of alcoholism
Stink bugs were used to prepare a remedy for alcoholism. To do this, insects were added to vodka and the resulting mixture was infused for 10 days. The finished tincture was given to a sick patient, and after taking it he experienced a complete aversion to alcoholic beverages.
This technique has relative results that do not have precise scientific evidence. Therefore, if you have a question about using this recipe, you should not expect guaranteed progress.
