Wood bugs are representatives of the family of true stink bugs, numbering more than 4000 species. Among the approximately 180 species of shield bugs, the most colorful are considered to be gray, green and berry. A distinctive feature of these bugs is the upper chitinous cover, which has the appearance of a shield. It is thanks to him that this type of insect received such an interesting name. During the warm season, they can often be found in your apartment or private house. What harm can they cause while staying in a person’s home, and is it worth getting rid of them?
How to identify a wood bug
It differs from other insects in two ways:
- pentagonal body shape;
- inability to fly, despite having wings.
Tree bugs are named so due to their main habitat - on trees and bushes. In winter, stink bugs are usually not found, as they are in a state of hibernation. They rarely get into apartments; they are usually brought from the garden or market along with fruits and flowers.
The stink bug differs from other insects by its specific smell, which is difficult to confuse.
See all types of bedbugs in nature
Ways to fight
Wood bugs can be easily collected by hand in small quantities. In severe cases, you can try traditional methods of struggle. For example, brew an infusion of onion peels. To do this, take a liter of warm water, add a few handfuls of dry onion peel to it and let it brew. Spray all plants with the resulting solution. You can also use mustard or other bitters instead of onion peels.
Since the fruits and grains are intended to be used as food, it is undesirable to use chemicals; green woody stink bug can be easily eliminated on your own. It is necessary to use toxic substances only when there are a lot of insects.
Types of wood bugs
Shield bugs have several varieties, all of them live in our latitudes and can accidentally end up in people's homes.
Red
The brightest color is characteristic of the red bug. It can be recognized from afar by its color of black and red spots. It feeds on plants and does not bite. It rarely gets into apartments; it is more often found in the yard and vegetable garden.
Red bug
Ginger
The red bug is also noticeable against any background. It is characterized by a striped coloration of alternating orange and black stripes. Such a bright color warns birds that it is not edible, as it has a pungent odor.
Red bug
Scutellum
Stink bug is the common name for tree bugs, but this name usually refers to the green variety of insects. Usually lives among tree foliage and therefore takes on a protective camouflage coloration. In summer, stink bugs have a greenish tint, and in autumn they take on the color of fallen leaves (dark brown).
Reproduction and development
In one season, stink bugs lay eggs twice. Laying usually occurs on the underside of the foliage for protection from the sun. Bedbug eggs are round and light green in color, so they are hard to see on the leaves. At the top of each egg there is a device - a removable lid with thin serrations, with which it is attached to the egg. Young larvae easily open this lid and leave their lair.
Development into bedbugs occurs with incomplete transformation, so the larvae are very similar to their parents. The only thing that distinguishes young insects from adult insects is the absence of wings. Since the hard chitinous shell does not allow the larvae to grow, they have to survive five molts. Each molting process is a tough test for insects, so most of the young simply die before reaching sexual maturity.
Reasons for the appearance of wood bugs in the house
Living quarters are not the most comfortable habitat for shield bugs. They usually end up in an apartment by accident in single copies. A massive invasion is possible if there are plants on which they live under the window of the house. In the event of a sudden change in weather (cold temperatures, extreme heat or wind), they may seek more comfortable conditions and move to an apartment.
In a village house, invasions occur more often, but for a city apartment such phenomena are atypical.
You may be interested in: Protecting trees from rodents - how to prepare a fruit tree for winter
Can shield bugs breed in an apartment?
An apartment or other type of human habitation does not attract stink bugs as a breeding site and permanent habitat. There is no power source for them here.
Despite their name, they do not feed on wood, chew furniture, or threaten wood products.
The usual breeding site is the underside of the leaf on which eggs are laid.
Tree bug eggs
Read on the topic - How bed bugs reproduce (photos and videos)
