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Bigeyed Bugs:
Can You Find These Bugs In Your Cotton? |
7
Geocoris spp. are considered by many to be the most
important predator which inhabits cotton fields. Bigeyed
bugs feed on a wide variety of prey smaller than themselves.
They feed on eggs and small larvae of most lepidopteran
pests (bollworm, pink bollworm, tobacco budworm), on the
eggs and nymphs of plant bugs (e.g., lygus), and on all
life stages of whiteflies, mites and aphids. In the absence
of prey, big-eyed bugs will sustain by feeding on cotton
nectar and occasionally plant sap. This limited plant feeding
does not damage plants. Big-eyed bug eggs are grayish white
to pink in color and are hot dog shaped. Adult and nymph
big-eyed bugs are easily recognized by their large bulging
red eyes.
Life Cycle
Eggs are deposited individually and are easily seen on terminals,
leaves, and stems. Eggs will hatch in about a week and nymphs
will complete development in about 3 weeks. Each female
will produce 150-300 eggs and live 3-4 weeks. Bigeyed bugs
walk with a distinctive "waggle" and omit a fowl
odor when handled. The immatures look like small adults,
but lack fully developed wings. Both the adults and immatures
feed by sucking juices from their prey through a "needle-like"
beak. But BEWARE: chinch bugs, a pest of turfgrass, resemble
bigeyed bugs and managers sometimes mistakenly spray when
the biological control agent is found. Adults and immatures
can consume dozens of prey per day.
Bigeyed bugs overwinter as adults. Eggs that
are laid singly on leaves or stems hatch in approximately
one week depending on the temperature. Adults live approximately
one month. Several generations may occur during a crop growing
season. Geocoris spp are great supporters of a biological
control system.
Conserving
As with most beneficial insects, Geocoris spp. are very
susceptible to broad spectrum pesticides. Conservation of
bigeyed bugs and the use of broad spectrum pesticides are
not compatible. Cotton growers should pay close attention
to this predator and encourage and maintain habitat to support
their life cycles.
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