Western Conifer Seed Bugs
I’ve been getting lots of questions about this insect, appearing in and around houses on PEI. Meet the Western Conifer Seed Bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis).
Western Conifer Seed Bugs are well-named: they’re native to western North America, feed on conifer seeds, and are true bugs (meaning they belong to the Order Hemiptera, have mouthparts designed for piercing and sucking, and have two pairs of wings). These bugs are strong fliers and this, coupled with their ability to hitch-hike on vehicles and in cargo, allowed them to spread east. Western Conifer Seed Bugs were first recorded in Ontario in the 1980s and had reached the east coast by the early 2000s.
Although not native to PEI, Western Conifer Seed Bugs haven’t become a serious problem. They overwinter as adults (shown here), and our heated buildings are attractive spots for them; that’s why we most commonly notice them in late fall, winter, and early spring.
In late spring, the adults will head out to start feeding again, using their specialized mouth parts to pierce conifer cones and suck the sap from developing seeds. Western Conifer Seed Bugs then mate and lay eggs on conifer trees and, within a couple of weeks, those eggs hatch. Over the summer, the larvae develop through five stages (instars) before finally reaching maturity in August.
Despite their cone-sucking lifestyle, Western Conifer Seed Bugs don’t cause serious harm to forests (although they can be pests in conifer seed orchards). They don’t bite people and aren’t toxic to pets but can be annoying if you happen to have lots of them around your home.
Western Conifer Seed Bugs are often mistaken for Stink Bugs, and both types of insects do release an odour when squished. Western Conifer Seed Bugs are longer and narrower than Stink Bugs, have a distinctive wide section at the base of their hindlegs, and an inverted V about halfway up their backs. Some people also incorrectly identify Western Conifer Seed Bugs as Kissing Bugs (aka Assassin Bugs), but those aren’t found this far north.
They’re relatively new arrivals, but Western Conifer Seed Bugs are now part of PEI Untamed!
