Southern California Stinkbugs

The partners in the stinkbug project will be recruiting smartphone users to employ a variety of digital tools to document "finds" of stink bugs in Riverside, elsewhere in Southern California, and, ultimately, throughout the state. The project subject is well suited to citizen science, as most stink bugs are large, easy to photograph, and their egg masses are conspicuous and also easy to photograph. On-line “finding” aids assist participants in seeking and recognizing these organisms and their life stages. These observations can be downloaded, databased and shared using the project web page at www.iNaturalist.org. As participant observations accumulate, it will automatically create a checklist of observed species for the project. Verification of these photo reports will be carried out by the project curator, project participants and collaborating scientists (eg. UCR Entomology personnel).

Halyomorpha halys typically has two generations per year, beginning with adults laying a cluster of small faint green eggs on the underside of leaves. In all stink bugs, after hatching the developing juveniles pass through five nymphal instars, which show changes in coloration and pattern. Adults possess typical “shield” shaped bodies; the wings may have camouflage patterns or contrasting shades, and in some species the abdominal edges are prominent and the antennae may have varied marks or alternating light and dark bands. less ↑