What do stinky bugs eat? - briefly
Stink bugs mainly ingest plant fluids—sap, fruit juices, and seeds—and several species also exploit dead insects, carrion, and decaying organic matter. Additionally, many feed on fungal spores and microbial growth found on rotting vegetation.
What do stinky bugs eat? - in detail
Stink‑producing insects obtain nutrients from a range of sources that correspond to their ecological niches.
Many shield‑shaped Pentatomidae, commonly known as stink bugs, feed primarily on plant fluids. Their mouthparts pierce leaves, stems, and fruits to extract sap rich in sugars, amino acids, and minerals. Some species specialize in seeds or developing pods, where they consume stored starches and proteins.
Carnivorous representatives, such as the predatory stink bug Podisus maculiventris, capture soft‑bodied arthropods—aphids, caterpillars, and other hemipterans. They inject digestive enzymes, liquefy the prey’s tissues, and ingest the resulting broth.
Saprophagous beetles that emit foul odors, including carrion beetles (Silphidae) and dung beetles (Scarabaeidae), digest decaying animal matter and feces. Their diet comprises:
- Decomposing muscle tissue, rich in protein and lipids.
- Internal organs and blood, providing iron and nitrogen.
- Fecal material that supplies cellulose, undigested plant fibers, and microbial colonies.
Fungal feeders like the rove beetle Oxyporus ingest mycelium and fruiting bodies, extracting carbohydrates, proteins, and secondary metabolites.
Some chemically defended species, such as bombardier beetles (Brachininae), consume a mixed diet of small invertebrates and plant detritus, allowing them to acquire both nitrogenous compounds for defensive chemistry and carbohydrates for energy.
Overall, the nutritional strategies of odorous insects span herbivory, predation, scavenging, and mycophagy, each aligned with the chemical defenses that give these bugs their characteristic smell.