Compared to
the assassin bugs, stink bugs (
Pentatomidae) may seem to be unlikely predators. While most stink bugs do stick to feeding on plants, some supplement their diets with insects. Others are pure predators.
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| A leaf beetle (Ophraella sexvittata) being attacked by a predatory stink bug (Perillus sp.) on a goldenrod (Solidago sp.) leaf. |
A few of the predatory stink bugs are even used to control agricultural pests. However, the stink bug shown here had trouble controlling just one small beetle.
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| The beetle struggles to get away. |
The stink bug appeared to have pierced the beetle with its mouthparts, yet the beetle showed no sign of giving up.
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| The bug continues to pull away. |
I did not see whether the beetle escaped in the end. Yet, what I saw when I came back several days later convinced me that neither the stink bug nor any other predators had been very successful in reducing the beetle population.
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| The goldenrod plants later that week. |
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