Perillus bioculatus

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Infraclass	Neoptera
Superorder	Paraneoptera
Order	Hemiptera
Suborder	Heteroptera
Infraorder	Pentatomomorpha
Superfamily	Pentatomoidea
Family	Pentatomidae
Subfamily	Asopinae
Genus	Perillus

Scientific Name

Perillus bioculatus

Common Name

twospotted stink bug

Description

True bugs exhibit gradual metamorphosis. They grow from an egg through several juvenile stages to a winged adult without a pupal stage. The juvenile stages are called nymphs. Both nymphs and adults are predators who consume prey using their piercing sucking mouthparts, which form a straw-like beak.

Distinctive Features

Shield-shaped and black with bright yellow to red markings along the edges of pronotum and abdomen.

Life Cycle

Eggs are laid in a double row containing 18 to 25 eggs on the upper surface of potato leaves. Eggs hatch in 5 to 8 days and develop into predatory nymphs which pass through five instars, requiring about 20-30 days. There are 1-2 generations per year.

Prey

The two-spotted stink bug is a predator of Colorado potato beetle larvae.

Habitat

Adults and nymphs can be found foraging on plants.

Floral Resources

Not known to use pollen or nectar as a food source.

Distribution

Common throughout U.S.

Origin

Native.

Occurrence

Common.

Size

8-12 mm.

Color

Black, red.

Acknowledgements

We thank the North Central IPM Center for funding this project and members of the Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group for supplying the bulk of the content. We also acknowledge Michigan State University, Oregon State University, the Xerces Society, and USDA Agricultural Research Services for their support and contributions to the development of this smartphone app.

Some information regarding pollinators and habitat management was adapted with permission from Attracting Native Pollinators, the Xerces Society’s guide to protecting North Americas bees and butterflies. The bulletin "How to Reduce Bee Poisoning from Pesticides (PNW 591)" is used with permission, copyright Oregon State University. Information about colony collapse disorder and the value of pollinators to agriculture was excerpted from the USDA ARS website. Images used from Bugwood include the proper citation number.