Scientific Name

Leptoglossus sp.

 

Hosts

Various plants including many legumes (peanuts, alfalfa, soybeans, etc.) and nut trees. 

 

Symptoms

Pierce the shuck and nut shell of pecans with their sucking mouthparts. When this damage occurs prior to shell hardening, the kernel will exhibit a condition known as black pit and will abort. If nuts are attacked by stink bugs after shell hardening, they will stay on the tree but black spots form on the kernel at the feeding site. Kernels with these black spots have a bitter taste and are considered inedible. Feeding by leaffooted bugs, after shell hardening, is restricted to the shuck with little or no kernel spotting. 

 

Control

Please contact your local county extension office for current information.