We're reaching into the archives for today's #BenInNature update presented by our friends at ...

April 3, 2021

We're reaching into the archives for today's #BenInNature update presented by our friends at Carter Bank & Trust! The following post was originally published on June 7, 2020.

The brown marmorated stink bug that we looked at yesterday casts a large shadow, but there are many, many other species of stink bugs around the world. Stink bugs (also known as shield bugs) belong to the family Pentatomidae, and there are more than 4,700 recognized species!

This particular stink bug, according to VMNH Associate Curator of Invertebrate Zoology Dr. Kal Ivanov, belongs to the genus Banasa. Many species of stink bugs have striking coloration; with the right kind of eyes, they can be quite beautiful!

Unfortunately, there are a number of native stink bugs in Virginia that resemble the brown marmorated stink bug, and they're often killed due to their similar appearance. So how do you tell the difference? The easiest way is to look at the antennae. Brown marmorated stink bugs have alternating white bands on their antennae, while none of our native stink bugs share that trait.

ABOUT #BenInNature
Social distancing can be difficult, but it presents a great opportunity to become reacquainted with nature. In this series of posts, Administrator of Science Ben Williams ventures outdoors to record a snapshot of the unique sights that can be found in the natural world. New updates are posted Monday - Friday, with previous posts highlighted on the weekends. This series of posts is made possible thanks to the support of VMNH Corporate Partner Carter Bank & Trust (www.cbtcares.com).

NATURE PHOTO IDENTIFICATIONS
If you discover something in nature that you would like help identifying, be sure to message us right here on Facebook with a picture (please include location and date of picture) and we'll have our experts help you identify it!