GADAG : Mystery has descended on Bhairapur hillock near Gajendragad in Karnataka’s Gadag district. All of a sudden, large numbers of human-faced stink bugs are being spotted. This is for the first time that these creatures are being found in the district.
They were first seen on Bhairapur hillock last month. Some wildlife enthusiasts attribute their appearance to the incessant rain that has been lashing the district for the last couple of months. But officials said detailed research needs to be carried out to find out how and why they have suddenly emerged in the area.
They are also called ‘Hitler bugs’ as they sport a pattern on their bodies that resembles German dictator Adolf Hitler’s face. The bug’s scientific name is Catacanthus Incarnatus.
On Friday, some wildlife enthusiasts who first spotted the bugs, clicked photographs and shared them with some officials in Gadag and Bengaluru.
These bugs are said to be commonly found in countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. They feed on plants like Memecyclon umbrellatum, Glochidon ellipticum and Olea diocia.
Their life-span ranges between seven months and nine months, and they play an important role in shaping the food chain of the areas they are present in.
Sangamesh Kadagad and Manjunath Nayak, who first saw these bugs said, “In Karnataka, these are found in Uttar Kannada, Dakshina Kannada and Bengaluru, but in north Karnataka, they can be rarely seen. We are surprised to see such bugs in places like Gajendragad of Gadag district. Only extensive research can reveal more details.”
The stink bugs are known to be notorious pests as they congregate in large numbers and attack fruits. They use pheromones (external secretions emitted by one of a species, the smell of which is received by the others of the same species like an invitation). The stink bugs are also known to pose a threat to cotton, corn, soybean and cashew tree crops, and are understood to be pesticide-resistant.