The Bagrada bug, scientifically known as Bagrada hilaris, is a stink bug that targets various crops, weedy mustards, and multiple ornamental plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae).
This insect can cause significant damage to young seedlings and leafy mustard greens, posing a threat to the agricultural sector.
Originating from Africa, the Bagrada bug has spread to various parts of the world, including the United States.
Its life cycle is crucial to understanding its impact on the environment and developing effective management strategies.
While the bug is small in size, its consequences on the agriculture industry can be quite extensive.
Bagrada Bug Life Cycle
Eggs
Bagrada bugs, also known as Bagrada hilaris, lay small, barrel-shaped eggs.
Females lay eggs in clusters on various vegetable crops, weedy mustards, and ornamental plants within the mustard family (Brassicaceae)1.
Key points about Bagrada bug eggs:
- Light yellow to white color
- Hatch within 3-7 days
Nymphs
The nymph stage of Bagrada Hilaris consists of five developmental stages, also known as instars2.
The nymphs are initially red or orange and become darker as they mature. Essential characteristics of nymphs:
- Approximately 1-3mm in size
- Feed on plant tissues, causing white patches and stippling
- Complete nymph stage in 10-14 days
Adults
Once Bagrada bugs reach adulthood, they have a shield-shaped body and bright, colorful markings3.
Distinguishing features of adult Bagrada bugs:
- Approximately 5-7mm in length
- Males are smaller and more slender than females
- Multiple overlapping generations
Adults, like nymphs, also cause feeding damage to plants. They are particularly devastating to young seedlings and leafy mustard greens4.
| Life Stage | Duration | Size | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs | 3-7 days (hatch time) | – | Light yellow to white color |
| Nymphs | 10-14 days (development) | 1-3mm | Red/orange to dark color |
| Adults | Overlapping generations | 5-7mm | Shield-shaped body, bright markings |
Identifying Features
Appearance
Bagrada bugs are shield-shaped insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts. They have a distinctive appearance due to their unique coloration and markings.
- Noticeable oval shape
- White and orange markings on a mostly black body
These bugs attack various vegetable crops, weedy mustards, and ornamental plants within the mustard family (Brassicaceae) such as sweet alyssum1.
Distribution and Habitat
Geographical Range
The Bagrada bug, also known as Bagrada hilaris, is native to Africa, southern Europe, and Asia.
This invasive pest spread to California in 2008 and quickly established itself in the southwestern United States, including Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.
It has not yet been reported in states like Florida.
Feeding Damage and Impact
Agricultural Pest Impact
The Bagrada bug, also known as the painted bug, is a significant agricultural pest that mainly attacks crops within the mustard family, such as vegetables and several ornamentals.
Bagrada bugs primarily infest cole crops, mustards, and crucifers. Some examples of affected plants include:
- Cole crops: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower
- Mustards: turnip, radish
- Crucifers: sweet alyssum, stock, candytuft
These pests can also infest other crops and plants such as sorghum, potato, legumes, papaya, and caper.
They often target young seedlings and leafy mustard greens, causing substantial damage to these plants. The feeding damage can lead to:
- Leaf spotting
- Wilting
- Stunting
- Central stem tip death
| Crop/Plant | Preference | Severity of Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Cole crops | High | Severe |
| Mustards | High | Severe |
| Crucifers | Moderate | Moderate |
| Sorghum | Low | Minor |
| Potato | Low | Minor |
| Legumes | Low | Minor |
| Papaya | Low | Minor |
| Caper | Low | Minor |
Managing the Bagrada bug’s population is crucial for preventing damage to agricultural and ornamental crops in the infested regions.
Signs of Infestation
Bagrada bugs are recognized by their piercing-sucking mouthparts, which they use to feed on plants and their seeds. Signs of infestation include:
- White patches on the leaves
- Plants experiencing wilting or desiccation
- Cotyledon damage in seedlings
When monitoring for Bagrada bugs, it is essential to look for these signs as well as the presence of adults and nymphs on the plants.
Control Methods
There are various control methods to manage Bagrada bug infestations, including:
- Cultural control: Removing weeds, providing proper plant spacing, and utilizing crop rotation can help reduce the risk of a Bagrada bug infestation.
- Biological control: Introducing natural predators or parasitoids to target Bagrada bugs can aid in controlling their population.
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Cultural | Sustainable, cost-effective | May not fully eradicate the pest |
| Biological | Natural, environmentally friendly | Can take time to establish, variable efficacy |
Bug Control Recommendation Tool
Beyond Bagrada Bugs
Related Species
The Bagrada bug, or Bagrada hilaris, is often confused with the Harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica.
Both members of the order Hemiptera and family Pentatomidae are commonly known as stink bugs. However, their appearances and features differ:
| Feature | Bagrada Bug | Harlequin Bug |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Black with orange markings | Bright orange with black markings |
| Size | Smaller (4-6 mm) | Larger (7-10 mm) |
While both species feed on cruciferous crops, such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and kale, differences in distribution make separation important.
Bagrada bugs are prevalent in California, while Harlequin bugs are more widespread in the U.S.
Key differences:
- Aggregation behavior prominently presented in Bagrada bugs
- Harlequin bugs occasionally found on cotton
Conclusion
In summary, Bagrada bugs are insects that belong to the family Pentatomidae. They have black bodies with white and orange markings, and they emit a foul odor when disturbed.
They are native to Africa and Asia, but they have invaded parts of North America and Europe.
They feed on cruciferous plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, kale, and mustard. These bugs can cause significant damage to crops and gardens by sucking the sap and nutrients from the plants.
They can reproduce rapidly and produce multiple generations per year. Bagrada bugs are pests that pose a threat to agriculture and biodiversity.
Footnotes
- UC IPM – Bagrada Bug Management Guidelines ↩ ↩2 ↩3
- Bagrada Bug: A Summertime Pest of Brassicas – University of Hawaiʻi ↩ ↩2 ↩3
- Bagrada bug – Bagrada hilaris – Entomology and Nematology Department ↩ ↩2 ↩3
- Bagrada Bug, Painted Bug, Bagrada Hilaris (Burmeister) (Insecta … – EDIS ↩ ↩2
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/neonicotinoids ↩
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4284399/ ↩
- https://cisr.ucr.edu/invasive-species/bagrada-bug ↩
- https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74166.html ↩
9 Comments. Leave new
I live in Mid City Los Angeles (Pico/Fairfax) and two days ago noticed that one of my collard plants is totally infested. They’ve also attacked kale seedlings as of yesterday. I’ve got neem spray but it doesn’t seem to affect they at all.
How do I erradicate these monsters?
My garden is organic so far….?
Try a good spray from the hose to knock them off.
A heavy infestation of Bagrada hilaris has been observed on clementine oranges. The feeding of the bugs seems to have caused premature fruit color change from green to orange followed by massive fruit drop. (Oct, 2, 2012)
This observation was made on a backyard tree located on the southern coastal plain of Israel.
This host/pest association is of particular note since, other than one picture posted on the internet (on this site, from Cyprus), citrus has not previously been reported as a host of this insect nor been reported to suffer damage from its feeding.
Thank you for your comment. If African Painted Bugs are truly pests that will infest citrus trees, the California agricultural industry will have a new invasive exotic species to contend with.
We finally got a positive ID from What’s That Bug – those little beasties are all over our figs. Will report and try to eradicate them ASAP. We are in northern San Diego County – no idea how they got here.
We had them about 3 years ago and they destroyed 1st my tomatoes then the broccoli and even my alysum flowers. We even moved the garden to the other side of the yard. Its been great til today when I noticed them on my tomatoes again! I’m so frustrated!
We are surprised that they attacked tomato plants. It is our understanding that they prefer plants in the cabbage family Brassicaceae to which Alyssum belongs.
I was talking to one of my conservationist sons about how Bagrada bugs ruined my garden a few years ago, and he said, “Oh, Bagrada bugs. We’re not worried about them anymore …” and listed a dozen new, horrible pests I had never heard of. “Bagrada bugs are sooo ’90’s, Mom.”
I just noticed a few days ago that my kale in a screen cage has these bugs and don’t know what are they. At first I thought it was lady bug larvae. It took me half a day researching today and was happy to land here. Thanks