This valuable beneficial insect feeds by penetrating its prey with a harpoon-like proboscis and sucking out the insect’s body fluids. He has joined forces with the rest of my army in the vegetable garden. SPINED SOLDIER BUG (General Predator) Pending Availability. The bug might suck on your plant to get water but it does no harm and does not transmit diseases. Download this stock image: Spined Soldier Bug (Podisus maculiventris) - C7CBEC from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. The name alone should give you a clue about this bug. A Spined soldier bug can be identified by its very distinctive looks. Cannabis Spined Soldier Bug. These predatory assassin bugs are considered as the most effective biological control agents because they can kill and feed on aphids, caterpillars, larvae and grubs of … If so, please tell me where to buy them. Pictured above, a Mexican bean beetle larva, a devastating pest of snap and soybeans, becomes a meal for the spined soldier bug instead. Size differs by species. Spined soldier bug prey on a wide variety of prey including 90 insect species across eight orders and possess the capability of controlling more than 75 of these species in different agroecosystems (De Clerg, 2008 and Baek, 2013). The adult has a prominent spine on each "shoulder." Mildews . Eliminates Mildews on Contact. Q. Dear Mike: Several years ago, someone told me that ladybugs and Praying Mantis were good for the garden. Still, it is important to keep your plants watered well when you have the spined soldier bug. The bug's pheromone, discovered by entomologist Jeffrey Aldrich at Beltsville, MD., may help farmers enlist its help in controlling many pest insects. But actually this is great news, not bad news. Predatory Assassin bug, Zelus renardii also called as a stink bug because they emit strong odor when disturbed. Soldier Beetle Facts: Attract This Bustling Beneficial Learn about soldier beetles, what they eat, where they live, and how to attract this beneficial insect to your organic garden. Latin name: Podisus maculiventris. This pest seeks out comfort – especially warmth – and knows when winter is coming. If you are struggling with Colorado Potato Beetle or Mexican Bean Beetle, these guys are your go-to for fixing the problem without having to use chemicals. The spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say), is a medium-sized predatory stink bug which preys on a wide variety of other arthropods, especially larval forms of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera (Mukerji and LeRoux 1965). Podisus maculiventris – The Spined Soldier Bug is a voracious predator of over 100 different insect pests, including the larvae of Mexican bean beetle, European corn borer, corn earworm, cabbage looper, cabbage worm, Colorado potato beetle and flea beetles. Is this true? A synthetic pheromone formulated from chemicals found in the airborne secretion of Podisus maculiventris, the spined soldier bug, was found to be highly effective in attracting P. maculiventris, a beneficial predatory insect, to desired areas for biological control of pests. This can pose an enormous problem for homeowners when they seek shelter indoors from the cold. A female will lay up to 1000 eggs during its lifetime. ---Dave in Chestnut Hill, PAA. I consider the BIRC to be the specialists in chemical-free and 'least-toxic' pest control tactics. These predatory spined soldier bugs are considered as the most effective biological control agents because they can kill and feed on caterpillars, larvae and grubs of many insect pests (see below) that are responsible for causing a serious damage to many agricultural and … Download this stock image: Predatory stink bug Podisus maculiventris stylet inserted in caterpillar prey - AW69BJ from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. Adult and nymphs stab their prey with mouthpart and suck dry. The spined soldier bug is one of the generalist predators that help keep pest populations low in crops such as alfalfa, soybeans and fruit crops. It is a great enemy of grubs, caterpillars and basically all soft bodied pests you might find in a garden. Adult spined soldier bugs.. Being the persistent, obnoxious camera person I am, I was finally able to get some pictures of our Spined Soldier Bug.