Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about stink bugs. There are currently nearly 5,000 described species of stink bugs. They are sometimes also referred to as “shield bugs” but technically that common name is more appropriate for another, admittedly quite similar-looking, family of insects. To be completely honest, I’m not really able to tell them apart. So if a stray shield bug manages its way into this video, I apologize, but I’ll try and make sure we only get the stinkers.

Stink bugs are so named because they release pungent chemicals when in distress, or, perhaps surprisingly, when trying to attract a mate. Aside from whooing with wafts of apparently sexy smells, stink bugs also utilize sounds to catch the attention of the opposite sex. Males may beat their feet on vegetation or rubs parts of their bodies together to create noises. And females will respond if they’re interested.

Mating in stink bugs occurs rear to rear and may last several hours to several days. The timing can be so long they’ll actually eat during the copulation. I mean, priorities, amiright? Most stink bugs eat plants. They tend to focus on the sexual structures of plants such as the seeds and fruit, but they’ll also eat leaves, stems, roots, and shoots. They have piercing mouths that break through the plant’s structure at which point the stink bugs will slurp up their meals. There are, however, some species that act as predators. They may eat caterpillars, beetles, and even other stink bugs, which I’m guessing can get a little awkward in the bedroom.

Stink bug eggs are typically laid on the undersides of leaves. They look like little rows of lined up barrels and they’ll stick there for about a week when the stink bug nymphs hatch. A female stink bug usually lays fewer than twenty eggs, but clutches of more than 300 have been observed. I’m guessing that was likely from a larger stink bug, though on average they’re an inch long (2.54 centimeters) or shorter. When the stink bug nymphs hatch, they’ll stay together as a group for their first molt or two and slowly begin dispersing as they get a little older and bigger. Stink bug nymphs go through five instars, or molts, before they become adults - meaning they do not undergo complete metamorphosis. Depending on their species and where they live, the development process from egg to adult may take fewer than two months to almost three months. And the amount of times the process happens within a year can be affected by the species and region, as well.

Stink bugs are found worldwide in tropical and temperate regions. Typically in warmer areas there will be multiple generations per year, but in cooler areas there may be only one. In this situation, adult stink bugs will over-winter and then come out during the spring to reproduce. This is why some of you may be familiar with stink bugs entering your homes towards the end of the year. They’re looking for a place to hunker down for the winter. When they aren’t invading our homes for the cold months, stink bugs are often sheltering under leaf litter along the edges of forests.

Most stink bugs are generalists, meaning they eat many different plant species. This usually allows for them to have a wide range of distribution, with some species, in fact, acting as invasive species to areas all around the world. There are other species who require more specific food items, so they may only be found in a certain region. And even though they can be quite smelly, they’ll still be eaten by birds and small mammals, and they’ll also fall victim to the antics of parasitoid wasps.

For more facts on stink bugs, check out the links in the description. Thank you to Gregory Murphy for today’s request. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.