Spined Soldier Bug
Pictured above, a Mexican bean beetle larva, a devastating pest of snap and soybeans, becomes a meal for the spined soldier bug instead. The bug's pheromone, discovered by entomologist Jeffrey Aldrich at Beltsville, MD., may help farmers enlist its help in controlling many pest insects.
Adults are vary in color from yellowish to pale brownish and are covered with small black specks. There is also a short black line on the wing tips which extends beyond the abdomen. A conspicuous spine on the middle of the front tibia may also be noticed. They are about 1/2-inch long. Eggs are metallic bronze.
This species may be confused with Euchistus species, which are common plant feeding stink bugs. The spined soldier bug has more acute spines on the edge of the pronotum.
