Red Shouldered Stink Bug: Appearance, Territory, Damage and Life Cycle

Latin Name: Thyanta Custator

Appearance: The red-shouldered stink bug (Thyanta Custator) is one of the largest and more noticeable insects found on hemp plants, measuring about 12 inches in length and having a wide body shape. They are typically pale green, although there is substantial color diversity, with some having more brownish color.

Hosts Plants: The red banded stink bug feeds on a wide variety of leguminous plants, including numerous commercially significant crops including beans, peas, alfalfa, and lentils. The red banded stink bug has become one of the most serious pests of soybean, Glycine max, in South America. Adults and nymphs consume the fruits and seeds of numerous plants, including as beans, corn, peaches, and wheat.

Territory: Thyanta Custator, sometimes known as the red-shouldered stink bug, is a species of stink bug in the Pentatomidae family. It is native to North America. Red banded stink bug, is a Neotropical stink insect that has lately established itself in the southeastern United States.

Damage Insect Cause: Economic harm is minimal to uncommon as a result of the eating habit. Swollen grain or cat-facing on fruits will indicate damage. A stink insect causes plant harm by penetrating plant tissues with its long stylet. Damage to leaves and stems is possible, although the bulk of eating occurs on seedpods. To break down tissues, stink bugs inject salivary enzymes into the plants.

A stink insect causes plant harm by penetrating plant tissues with its long stylet. Damage to leaves and stems is possible, although the bulk of eating occurs on seedpods. To break down tissues, stink bugs inject salivary enzymes into the plants. This feeding behavior in soybeans can reduce yields and delay plant maturation. The pods have been marked, and the internal soybeans may shrivel. Plants may also become prone to infections such as fungus as a result of the damage. The red banded stink bug appears to cause substantially more seed damage than other Neotropical stink bugs due to its longer feeding period.

Life History and Habits: Under optimal conditions, the red banded stink bug takes 37-39 days to complete its lifetime. It is predicted that four to eight generations can occur in Louisiana per year. Adults appear to go into reproductive hibernation throughout the winter, extending the longevity of the overwintering generation. Overall mortality appears to be greater in winter photoperiods with short days. Annually, several generations (4-8) occur and might overlap beginning in July.