Euthyrhynchus floridanus, the Florida predatory stink bug, is a species of carnivorous shield bug in the family Pentatomidae, the only species in the genus Euthyrhynchus. It is native to the hottest parts of the southeastern United States and is considered beneficial because it feeds on many species of pest insects. They also feed on things such as grasshoppers and other small insects. This species also hunts in a pack, with up to twelve.

The adult male Florida predatory stink bug is approximately 12 mm (0.5 in) long while the female can reach 17 mm (0.7 in) in length. The appearance is somewhat variable, but the ground colour is usually bluish-black or purplish-brown, and there are characteristic red spots at the sides and rear of the scutellum. There is also a distinctive spine on the humerus, but this species lacks the spine on the underside of the femur on the front leg that exists in other similar species found in Florida. The first segment of the beak-like mouthparts is short and thick which is in contrast to the slender mouthparts of its herbivorous, sap-sucking relatives.

Description

The female lays batches of between twenty and ninety eggs. These are barrel-shaped and have a number of small projections at the edge of the operculum. The nymphs go through five instars in their growth process and have bluish-black heads and thoraxes and red abdomens. The first instars stay close to the egg mass and the later instars also tend to group together, sometimes feeding on a common prey item. In the laboratory, the nymphs have fed on larvae of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella), several stages of the Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis), larvae of tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens) and larvae of black cutworms (Agrotis ipsilon). Other recorded prey include beetles, planthoppers, weevils, larvae of the long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus), and the southern green stink bug (Nezara viridula). The insects have been found on a range of plant types including ornamental plants, citrus, weeds, grasses, trees, bushes and other habitats.Euthyrhynchus floridanus has a longer period of development than any of its close relatives in the subfamily Asopinae. At 24 °C (75 °F) the eggs hatch in 35 days and the nymphal development takes 65 days. At 27 °C (81 °F) these figures are 20 and 40 days respectively. As the adult female takes about a fortnight to mature, and lays a total of about 140 eggs, populations of this bug do not build up as quickly as some other species with shorter life cycles.
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Ecology

harmful

bite

Euthyrhynchus floridanus, commonly known as the Florida predatory stink bug, is considered a tree pest because it feeds on the sap of various tree species, causing damage to the foliage and potentially impacting the overall health and vitality of the trees.

tree pest

Euthyrhynchus floridanus can be considered garden pests because they have a tendency to feed on a variety of garden plants, including vegetables and ornamental plants, which can lead to damage and reduced yield in the garden.

garden pest

Euthyrhynchus floridanus can be considered crop pests because they have been observed feeding on various crops, such as soybeans and cotton, which can result in yield reduction and economic losses for farmers.

crop pest

Euthyrhynchus floridanus is considered a pest because it feeds on the sap of trees, garden plants, and crops, causing damage and potentially reducing yield, which can have negative impacts on the health and productivity of these plants.

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