Stink Bugs' Unique Defense Mechanism
Researchers have discovered that certain stink bug species use a cordycep-like fungus to defend against parasitic wasps.
Initially, special glands on the legs of these stink bugs were mistaken for "ears" due to their unusual location.
Unlike crickets, moths, mantises, and cicadas, which use organs on their legs, thoraxes, or abdomens to detect sound, these stink bugs do not have tympanal organs, or an auditory system.
A study published in the journal Science on October 16, conducted by biologists from multiple universities in Japan, revealed this complex and intriguing truth about the Dinidoridae family of stink bugs.
The females in this subset of around 100 stink bug species have a unique defense mechanism that is more complex than initially thought.
Author's summary: Stink bugs use fungus to defend against parasitic wasps.