Attracting Spined Soldier Bugs with Pheromone Lures: Source and Use

Spined soldier bugs (Podisus maculiventris) are native generalist predators. A commercial pheromone lure concentrates them in your garden.

Product: RESCUE! Soldier Bug Attractor

• Source: Biconet (Memphis, TN) — no affiliation disclosed.
• Patented sex pheromone attracts females.
• Targets: Gypsy moth caterpillars, Colorado potato beetle, Mexican bean beetle, tomato fruitworm, corn earworm, fall armyworm, and more.

Deployment

• Place 1 unit per 10×20 ft garden center.
• Set out early spring (1–2 weeks before bud burst).
• Replace every 2 months.
• Overwintering + new generation attraction.

How It Works

• Attracted females lay eggs → nymphs and adults consume pests.
• "Nature taking care of nature" — self-sustaining predator population.
• Beneficial across North America but rarely abundant naturally.

Low effort, high specificity. A smart addition to an IPM toolkit.