These young bugs eat the needles and soft tissue of cone scales. The main diet of this bug comes from the Seeds of the cones. Several morphological characteristics allow L. occidentalis to be distinguished from another native species, L. corculus , which has a similar appearance. Eggs laid on host conifers hatch in 10 days, and first instars feed on the needles and tender tissue of cone scales. Western conifer seed bugs make a loud buzzing noise that sounds similar to a bumblebee when they are in flight. In 1997, the first documented New Hampshire specimen was found in Cheshire and Sullivan counties. It is fairly large, measuring about ¾ inch long, and is reddish brown with a few white markings. It has several color variations along its body, ranging from light tan, to orange, and dark brown. The adult is about three-quarters of an inch long. Eaton said it’s in a family of insects closely related to the stink bug, but it isn’t really a stink bug. Scent While the bug has little to no scent normally, if startled or touched, it emits a scent. In Pennsylvania and other parts of the northeastern United States, this leaf-footed bug becomes a nuisance when it enters homes in search of overwintering sites. The good? First, L. corculus (the leaf-footed pine bug) has a predominantly black abdominal dorsum. They have been recorded from about 40 hosts, mostly pines, but also pistachio and almond. Western conifer seed bug (WCSB) Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, 1910. Originally found only in the western United States, these bugs are now found all across the country, and even in parts of Canada. The Western Conifer Seed Bug can be quite destructive to tree farms and nurseries and very irritating when indoors. First described in California in 1910, the Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) quickly moved eastward. While kissing bugs are known to carry the pathogen that causes Chagas disease, the western conifer-seed bug is … Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) Identification The Western Conifer Seed Bug isn’t Seen very much during the summer months. This harmless nuisance most closely resembles the squash bug found on pumpkin and squash foliage during the summer. A type of Leaf-Footed Bug, Western Conifer Seed Bugs have long bodies and wide, flattened 'thighs'. A harmless, delicate, sensitive, loving, wonderful little bug, that you can also have as a fun pet! Scent While the bug has little to no scent normally, if startled or touched, it emits a scent. Amherst College's website describes the scent as acrid and citrusy. [6], In Europe, this species was first reported in 1999 from northern Italy; it had probably been accidentally imported with timber and, as it seems, more than once, as its presence was subsequently reported from that country almost simultaneously from locations a considerable distance apart. Western Conifer Seed Bugs are a type of "true bug", or Heteroptera. Groups of Western Conifer Seed Bugs can enter a house, office building, or warehouse in the autumn through torn window screens, open doors, and chimneys. The flight pattern and loud buzz produced by this strong flying conifer pest resemble those of a bumble bee. This bug has been expanding its range north. The Western Conifer Seed Bug has a body length of about 3/4”. Residents of Massachusetts may see this large, brown—yet harmless—home invader come fall. The same thing happened in October 2012 in most of the cities of the French Alps, like Moûtiers. Western conifer seed bugs have been in Maine for around 15 years and, as the name implies, they feed on the seeds of coniferous trees. This true bug of the family Coreidae feeds mainly on the seeds and developing cones of several species of conifers and their respective hybrids. It has been slowly extending its range eastward and is now an established pest in certain areas of the northeastern U.S. During warm weather months, the seed bug is outside feeding on the seeds and cones of conifer trees. 52. The large numbers of this insect observed around windows and doors of houses suggests that these are important points of entry. By 2007, it had established itself in the northern Balkans (Slovenia and Croatia), the Alps (Austria, Switzerland), and parts of the Czech Republic, France, Germany and Hungary; in 2003, it was found to occur in Spain, though this population probably derives from a separate introduction. Western conifer seed bug Western conifer seed bug. They have long antennae and 3 pairs of legs. The Western Conifer Seed Bug is a pest bug in the Pacific Northwest. The western conifer-seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) is an invasive, plant-eating pest that has arrived in South America in recent years.Due to its resemblance to kissing bugs and its propensity to overwinter in homes, entomologists in Chile have seen a rise in public alarm. It informally has been referred to as a “stink bug”, which describes the unpleasant odour it emits when squashed. "In the early spring these bugs move outdoors to nearby coniferous trees. Native to western North America, they have spread to the eastern continent as well as parts of Europe. Western conifer seed bugs belong to the leaf-footed bug family Coreiidae. Thank you. As you might guess from its name, the western conifer seed bug was found originally in the western United States. They have been called many things, but rarely by the correct name. Length ~20 mm. [5], This insect is common in its native range along the temperate and warmer regions of the Pacific coast of North America and has steadily expanded eastwards. A true bug (order Heteroptera) in the family Coreidae, the dull-brown WCSB is known as leaf-footed bugs because of a flattened segment resembling a leaf on their hind legs. Then, it began its slow migration across the country. They’re between 16 and 22 millimeters in length, depending on gender. The western conifer seed bug has become a nuisance pest in many homes. However, you will not find Kissing Bugs in New England and Stink Bugs are not as common to the region either. Where the western conifer seed bug is a persistent nuisance in homes, the best method of control seems to be mechanical exclusion. The western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis), sometimes abbreviated as WCSB, is a species of true bug (Hemiptera) in the family Coreidae.