Who are forest bugs: photo, description and harmfulness of aliens from the forest

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Currently, several thousand varieties of bedbugs are known. One of them is the forest bug. The insect is known to many for its appearance and ability to emit a fetid odor. As the name implies, these beetles live in the forest, but sometimes they accidentally get into human habitation, which terrifies its inhabitants. However, you should not worry - the bug is disgusting, but does not pose a serious danger to humans.

What forest bugs look like: photo

Forest bugs.

Forest bugs: a general description

Name: tree bugs
Latin: Acanthosomatidae

Class: Insects - Insecta
Squad: Hemiptera - Hemiptera

Habitats:on trees and shrubs
Features:live with people only for the purpose of comfort
Benefit or harm:feed on plant sap, are not dangerous to humans

Forest bugs are representatives of the Coleoptera order. For humans, they are disgusting: they have an unpleasant odor and a repulsive appearance. They live mainly in trees, where they feed and reproduce.

Features of appearance

The size of the insect varies from 10 to 15 mm. in length. The body has the shape of a shield, the color allows the bug to disguise itself as environmental conditions: in summer it is brownish-green, with the advent of autumn it acquires a reddish tint. A strong shell protects the insect from attack by predators and saves when falling from a great height, a pair of wings is also hidden under it, so the bugs can fly. On the head of the insect are long whiskers, and on the chest - a pair of odorous glands.

Forest bugs.

Diet and lifestyle

Wood bugs are exclusively vegetarian. Their diet is the juices of fruits, leaves, stems, bark and flowers of trees.

They do not feel an urgent need to be near a person, but tend to look for more comfortable living conditions.

Since the bugs are able to fly and move fast enough, in search of food and suitable conditions, they often “come across” to a human dwelling.

Reproduction and development cycle

AwakeningAfter waking up from hibernation, adults begin to search for food. After saturation, mating occurs.
Breeding methodBedbugs use the method of traumatic reproduction: the male pierces the female's abdomen with a genital organ and fills it with seminal fluid.
The nature of the malesIt is noteworthy that during the mating season, male bedbugs are very aggressive - they attack other insects and even relatives of the same sex.
FertilizationFemales have an interesting ability to expend seminal fluid as needed throughout their lives. This ability protects the species from extinction.
OvipositorOviposition takes place at the mating site. Eggs are a barrel with an opening lid: after maturation, it opens and larvae emerge from it. The eggs are attached to the inside of the leaves with a special sticky secretion. At one time, one individual is able to lay about 100 eggs. Under favorable weather conditions (heat and low humidity), re-laying is possible.
LarvaeAfter about 10-14 days, larvae appear, which differ from adults only in size and color. The larva develops within 30 days, during which time it goes through 5 molts and after each one changes its color, which eventually becomes light green.
ImagoBy 1,5 months after birth, the individual reaches the stage of adult development and is ready for reproduction.

Where do forest bugs live

As mentioned above, the natural habitat for forest bugs are trees that grow in forests or forest park areas. However, when environmental conditions change to less favorable, the beetles begin to look for another habitat and often move to agricultural land.

Bed bugs…
ScaryVile

The main types of forest bugs

Forest bugs are an unscientific name for a group of insects that combine external signs, lifestyle and taste preferences. The most common of these are the varieties described below.

tree bug
The size of an adult insect does not exceed 1,5 cm. It is widespread, therefore it is familiar to many. There are wings, but they are poorly developed, so the insect cannot stay in the air for a long time and fly long distances. The mouth apparatus is also weak and does not allow the beetle to pierce the wood, so it sticks to the shoots and leaves of young shoots. Most often found on fruit-bearing crops: raspberry, elderberry, pear, alder. If the population increases uncontrollably, it attacks grain fields and vegetable gardens.
wood bug red
These are the so-called bedbugs-soldiers. Insects got their nickname because of the bright red back with a dark pattern. Representatives of this species do not have wings, so they do not fly, but this is successfully compensated by the high speed of movement. The diet of insects is very diverse: most often they feed on the juices of leaves and shoots, but with a lack of food they can prey on other insects or their relatives.
Red wood bug
The beetle looks menacing because of the bright color - orange with dark stripes. Because of the shade of the shell, the insect got its name. Such a bright color is a method of protecting the bug from predatory insects and birds: in nature, such bright colors are a warning that the individual is poisonous. In fact, such beetles are not dangerous and feed exclusively on plant sap.
Brown marble bug
On the territory of Russia, this species appeared quite recently - no more than 5-6 years ago. The shield of the bug has a peculiar color: light and dark spots alternate on it, due to which a marbling effect is created. In addition, the species can be distinguished by the presence of white stripes on the mustache. The brown marble bug is not too picky about food: most often its diet consists of vegetable crops, the fruits of berry plants, however, in the absence of the desired food, it easily switches to wild and weed herbs.
poplar bug
As the name implies, representatives of this species live on poplars, most often choosing silver poplar. Also rarely found on willow and aspen leaves. The shell is brown in color, paws and whiskers are yellowish. With a significant increase in the population, it causes serious damage to trees.

Harm or benefit from forest bugs

Of course, these insects cannot be called pleasant, and many people know what harm they can do to crops: they suck the juices from the stems and fruits of cultivated plants, as a result of which the plant may die, and the fruits become unusable due to the disgusting taste and smell . However, the specific smell of the pest can be used to good use.
A few hundred years ago, bedbugs were used to treat alcoholism. They insisted on vodka, after which they gave it to a person who abuses alcohol. Klopovyy "aroma" does not interrupt even alcohol, and the taste of vodka also remains the same. Such a nasty combination in the future will cause a persistent gag reflex in the drinking person and will discourage the desire to use for a long time.

Signs of the appearance of forest bugs on the site

Most often, bedbugs are found during a “personal meeting” with a gardener. Eggs and larvae of these insects are almost impossible to detect. If pests are already actively parasitizing on plants, you can notice:

  1. That the fruits become dry, lose their color and shape, they have a specific untidy smell.
  2. Stems and leaves also wither and wither, young plants slow down growth and do not bear fruit.

Methods of dealing with forest bugs in the garden

At the first sign of the appearance of forest beetles on the site, it is necessary to take measures to exterminate them. In small numbers, they are not dangerous, but they can multiply rapidly. To combat forest bugs, you can use chemicals and folk recipes. When choosing a method, it is necessary to focus on the massiveness of infection of the backyard with pests.

Special products and chemicals

It is worth resorting to the help of chemicals only in cases where the bugs have flooded the site and actively parasitize on cultivated plants.

The most effective means of dealing with "stinkers" are the following drugs.

1
Chlorophos
9.5
/
10
Details
2
Aktara
9.3
/
10
Details
3
Karate Zeon
8.1
/
10
Details
Chlorophos
1
The drug is a potent agent, active against adults, their eggs and larvae.
Expert rating:
9.5
/
10

It is marketed as a powder, emulsion or concentrate.

pros
  • fast action - insects die within an hour;
  • destroys parasites at all stages of their development;
  • high efficiency - no re-treatment required.
Cons
  • leaves a pungent odor;
  • can cause poisoning in humans.
Aktara
2
One of the most common drugs for the extermination of harmful insects.
Expert rating:
9.3
/
10

Has a wide spectrum of action. Produced in liquid form, packaged in ampoules.

pros
  • high impact speed;
  • absence of unpleasant odor;
  • toxic substances do not concentrate on fruits;
  • operates in all weather conditions.
Cons
  • dangerous to beneficial insects;
  • can cause resistance in pests.
Karate Zeon
3
One of the most sought after drugs.
Expert rating:
8.1
/
10

The drug is produced in liquid form and is intended for the comprehensive protection of agricultural facilities from a wide range of insect pests.

pros
  • very affordable price for an insecticide of this level;
  • does not accumulate in soil and plants;
  • a wide range of activities.
Cons
  • harmful to bees and other beneficial insects.

Folk methods

There are also folk methods of getting rid of foul-smelling pests.

Mustard powder200 gr. dilute the main component in a bucket of water and leave for several hours. Pour the resulting liquid into a container with a spray bottle and spray the affected plants. To get the result, you will have to process at least 4 times.
Laundry soapSoap is a universal remedy for combating various types of parasites. To obtain a working solution, it is necessary to dilute 2 bars of grated laundry soap in a bucket of water. Treat plants abundantly with the resulting product.
Lukovaâ HuskFill any volumetric container up to half of the onion peel, top with hot water. Remove the container in a dark room for infusion for 4-5 days. After this period, strain the liquid, pour into a bottle with a sprayer and process the plantings.
Mechanical methodIt is necessary to carefully inspect each bush on the site and manually remove adults and their larvae. It is better to throw them into a container with soapy water, and at the end of the work, burn them outside the site.

Prevention of the appearance of forest bugs in the garden

To prevent the appearance of fetid insects on the site, it is recommended not to neglect the following preventive measures:

  • timely dispose of plant residues on the site: old leaves, grass, etc., as they are used by "stinkers" as a shelter for the winter;
  • periodically inspect the plantings for the appearance of parasites on them.
31 Fighting forest bugs

Forest bugs in the house - is it worth worrying

As mentioned above, insects can sometimes be seen in a house or apartment.

What insects can be confused with a forest bug

In nature, there are several other species that are outwardly very similar to forest skunks.

Two-pronged shield
It is similar to its forest counterpart in the size of the body (about 1,5 cm), a brownish tint of the body and the presence of a hard shield on the back. However, the outlines of his body are more rounded, without sharp corners. In addition, the buccal stink bug is considered a beneficial insect, as it regulates the number of pests, destroying them.
american bedbugs
Appeared on the territory of our country relatively recently. Outwardly, they practically do not differ from the "ordinary" forest ones, but they feed exclusively on cones.
Red-legged shield bugs
They have approximately the same body size and color as forest shield bugs. However, the color is different - brown-brown with a metallic sheen, the limbs are partially painted red, for which the species got its name.

How to prevent bed bugs in your home

In order to prevent accidental entry of shield bugs into housing, it is necessary:

  • protect doors and windows with mosquito nets and do not leave them open in the warm season;
  • in the evening, do not ventilate the room with the lights on, as the bugs are interested in artificial lighting.

Interesting facts about forest bugs

There are a few interesting facts about stink bugs:

  • the nasty smell of insects is unpleasant for humans, but does not pose any danger to him, and for some insects it is a potent poison;
  • for all their external disgust, bugs, unlike most other insects, manifest themselves as caring parents: the female takes care of the nutrition of the newly born offspring, and the male looks for a suitable place for laying, and in the absence of such, he exposes his back to the female;
  • the smell that insects exude is used by them as a means of communication, including serving as a kind of pheromone during the mating season.
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