Consperse Stink Bug: Appearance, Territory, Damage and Life

Latin Name: Euschistus Conspersus

Appearances: Adult Euschistus conspersus are about 1/2 inch long and range in colour from greyish brown to green. They look like the adults of the brown marmorated and rough stink bugs. Consperse stink bugs, on the other hand, have grey legs with black speckles, as opposed to the white leg bands described above for this species.

Host plants: Many weeds (mustards, dock, mallow, plantain), shrubs (blackberry), and vegetables are attacked by the widespread stink bug. Almond damage has also been reported.

Territory: In the western United States and British Columbia, Canada, the consperse stink bug (Euschistus conspersus) is prevalent. The body is grey brown to green, with yellow to orange legs and darker tips on the antennae.

Damage Caused: Adults use their beaks to penetrate fruit and eat on the flesh. Although the puncture isn’t visible, the surrounding area is sunken and frequently dark green. A clump of loose spongy cells, often with brown coloring, lies beneath the skin. Damage resembles that of the disorder bitter pit, although bitter pit occurs near the bottom of the fruit, whereas stink bug damage occurs near the top. Furthermore, bitter pit causes a mass of corky brown cells beneath the skin, whereas stink bug injury causes spongy cells that are just faintly pigmented. Pome fruits are prone to injury as they approach maturity in late summer.

Life Cycle and Habits: The egg is fashioned like a barrel. On the undersides of leaves, eggs are placed in clusters of 30 to 40. The nymph’s colour varies from instar to instar, as well as from individual to individual. Nymphs in their early stages are usually dark with red or orange patterns.

The adult is brilliant green and measures 1/2 to 3/4 inch (14 to 18 mm) in length. Along the lateral margin of the abdomen, it exhibits subtle yellow-orange and black patterns. The head and thorax have yellowish lateral borders. Adults spend the winter in safe areas outside the orchard, such as brush heaps or bin stacks, or beneath weeds or honeysuckle on the orchard floor. They start feeding on broadleaf weeds in or outside the orchard in April, usually while the trees are in the pink to early bloom stage.