Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is grown on approximately 11,000 ha in Florida's Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) located south of Lake Okeechobee (Bhadha et al. 2016, UF/IFAS Extension EDIS SL439, Gainesville, FL). As a rotational crop with other crops, the rice-growing season spans from February to October. In addition to serving as a rotational crop, flooded rice provides other benefits to the agrosystem including reductions in soil subsidence (Wright and Snyder 2009, UF/IFAS Extension EDIS SL311, Gainesville, FL) and reduction of soil arthropod pests (Cherry et al. 1994, J. Amer. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol. 14:77).Although many different insects can be found in rice fields in Florida, stink bugs (Oebalus spp.) are currently considered the most important pest. Green et al. (1954, Ann. Rep. Agric. Expt. Station, Univ. Florida) reported finding four species of stink bugs in Florida rice fields, but gave no information on their relative abundance. Genung et al. (1979, Belle Glade Res. Rep. EV-1979-7, Univ. Florida) reported that five species of stink bugs could be found in rice in Florida, but again no information was given on their relative abundance or seasonal occurrence. Jones and Cherry (1986, J. Econ. Entomol. 79: 1226–1229) first reported the relative abundance and seasonal occurrence of stink bugs in Florida rice based on extensive surveys. In the latter study, four species were found with the rice stink bug, Oebalus pugnax (F.), being the dominant species comprising >95% of the total stink bug population.The stink bug Oebalus ypsilongriseus (DeGeer) was first observed in Florida rice fields in 1994. An extensive survey was conducted during 1995 and 1996 with sweep nets to determine the relative abundance and population biology of O. ypsilongriseus in Florida rice fields. It occurred in 100% of all fields sampled and constituted 10.4% of all stink bugs collected (Cherry et al. 1998, Fla. Entomol. 81: 216–220). Data from that study showed that O. ypsilongriseus, a well-known rice pest in South America, was widespread in Florida rice fields This was the first report of this species being found in commercial rice fields in the United States.The stink bug Oebalus insularis (Stal) was first observed in Florida rice fields in 2007. An extensive survey was conducted during 2008 and 2009 to determine the relative abundance and population biology of O. insularis in Florida rice fields. It occurred in 100% of all fields sampled and constituted 20% of all stink bugs collected (Cherry and Nuessly 2010, Fla. Entomol. 93: 291–293). Data from this study show that O. insularis, a well-known rice pest in Caribbean islands, Central America, and South America, is now widespread in Florida rice fields. This was the first report of this species being found in commercial rice fields in the United States. Currently, the rice stink bug complex attacking Florida rice is the most diversified and unique stink bug complex in United States rice production.Sugarcane (Saccharum spp; Poaceae) is Florida's major field crop, also grown primarily in the EAA on 159,902 ha in 2017 (Van Weelden et al. 2018, Sugar J. 81: 10–19). Florida rice fields, being much smaller in acreage than sugarcane, are typically surrounded by sugarcane. While collecting various insects in sugarcane fields in southern Florida during April 2018, it was observed that rice stink bugs of the genus Oebalus were frequently seen in the fields. Since Oebalus spp. are well known to feed on various weeds, but not sugarcane, this study was initiated to determine the importance of weeds in maintaining Oebalus populations in Florida sugarcane.Sugarcane fields were randomly surveyed for weed species in 2018 and 2019 at different locations in the EAA using the quantitative survey methodology of Thomas (1985, Weed Sci. 33: 34–43). A total of 30 fields, 10 in 2018 and 20 in 2019, were surveyed during sugarcane tillering phase before sugarcane canopy closure reduces weeds in July. The survey was conducted in May and June in 2018 and from March to June in 2019. Five different fields were surveyed each month both years. Forty sugarcane rows, 61 m wide by 76 m long, were randomly selected in each field and an inverted “W” pattern used to systematically walk the sample field. Each arm of the pattern contained five approximately equally spaced 1-m2 quadrats for a total of 20 quadrats per field. The quantitative measure frequency was used to determine abundance of weed species. The frequency of each weed species was calculated as the number of fields surveyed in which a species occurred in at least one quadrat, expressed as a percentage of the total number of fields.Rice stink bugs on weeds in sugarcane were sampled during the same months previously noted for the weed study. Five different sugarcane fields containing weeds were sampled for rice stink bugs each month. Insect sampling was conducted on a 100-m straight transect in each field from a field edge towards the field center. One observer (R.H.C.) moved along this transect for a 2-h period collecting all stages of rice stink bugs seen and noting the weed species on which they occurred. Because adults flew readily, movement through the transect was slow. This guaranteed that adults could be seen in advance before flying from the plant where the adults occurred. These adults were captured in an insect net before leaving the plant. This allowed exact identification of the plant on which the adults were residing. Lorenz and Hardke (2015, Arkansas Rice Production Handbook, Univ. Arkansas) have also noted that when scouting for rice stink bugs, O. pugnax adults are alert to disturbances and movement and quick to fly. Plants were also examined on leaves, stems, and plant base for stink bug nymphs and eggs, which were collected by hand. Insects collected were frozen for later identification of species and sex of adults and nymphal counts. The total number of stink bugs found on weeds between May and June 2018 were compared using a t test and between the 4 mo in 2019 using analysis of variance (R Core Team 2014, Vienna, Austria).Thirteen weed species representing seven plant families were identified within quadrats of 30 sugarcane fields surveyed in Florida (Table 1). The weed species included grasses, forbs, and sedges. Grasses accounted for most of the weed species surveyed in sugarcane fields in Florida. The most common weed species was fall panicum (Panicum dichotomiflorum Michaux), which had the highest frequency of 83%. Fall panicum is the most prevalent and problematic weed species associated with Florida sugarcane (Odero et al. 2016, Weed Technol. 30: 13–20). Goosegrass (Eleusine indica [L.] Gaertner) and bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Persoon) had frequencies of 47 and 53%, respectively. Spiny amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus L.) and yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) had frequencies of 67%. Frequencies of the other weed species ranged from 3 to 47%.All three stink bug species were found only on fall panicum in the sugarcane fields (Table 2). These stink bugs were found with no significant difference (t = –0.7, 8 df, P = 0.5) in 2018 and no significant difference (F= 0.3, df = 3, P = 0.8) in 2019 between populations in different months. Adults were 90% of stink bugs found, nymphs were 10%, and no eggs were found. These results are not surprising because adults are larger and more conspicuous on plants than the smaller and more cryptic nymphs, and eggs are very small. However, the presence of nymphs of all these species shows that, besides feeding, reproduction also occurred on the weeds. This is not always the case since eggs are not always placed in all host plants upon which adults of O. pugnax feed (Lorenz and Hardke 2015). Both sexes of adults of all three species were found, with 37, 54, and 40% female of O. insularis, O. pugnax and O. ypsilongriseus, respectively. The relative abundance of the three species was 47% O. insularis, 43% O. pugnax, and 10% O. ypsilongriseus. Although few O. ypsilongriseus were found, this species generally becomes more abundant later in the rice-growing season in Florida (Cherry et al. 1998). Data comparing O. insularis abundance to O. pugnax are especially interesting. Cherry and Nuessly (2010) first reported O. insularis being found in Florida rice fields. In a recent publication, Van Weelden et al. (2020, J. Econ. Entomol. 113: 1582–1585) reported that the percentage of relative abundance of O. insularis increased over two- and three-fold in 2017 and 2018, respectively, in Florida rice compared to surveys conducted in 2008 and 2009 by Cherry and Nuessly (2010). It was also the most abundant Oebalus species reported in their study. Our data show that O. insularis was the most abundant rice stink bug found in this study. These data corroborate Van Weelden et al. (2020) showing the growing importance of O. insularis in Florida rice.Of the Oebalus species in this study, most information on insect–weed interactions is found in publications on the common rice stink bug, O. pugnax. This species relies on a broad range of graminaceous host species for feeding and reproduction throughout the year. These hosts allow the buildup of populations that eventually migrate to rice (Ogden and Warren 1962, Arkansas Agric. Exp. Stn. Rep. 107: 1–23). The abundance of these host species can influence O. pugnax population dynamics (Velasco and Walter 1993, Environ. Entomol. 22: 326–333). Although numerous weed species and sugarcane were examined in transects in sugarcane fields, stink bugs were found only on fall panicum, showing a high preference for this weed species. As noted earlier, fall panicum is the most prevalent weed species reported in Florida sugarcane (Odero et al 2016) as was found in the study. Douglas and Ingram (1942, USDA Circ. 632) reported on O. pugnax feeding on fall panicum in and around rice fields in several southern states in the United States. More recently, Cherry and Bennett (2005, J. Entomol. Sci. 40: 378–384) reported that fall panicum was the most common grassy weed found in weedy areas of Florida rice fields, and significantly more O. pugnax were found in these weedy areas versus nonweedy areas in the fields. And most recently, Van Weelden et al. (2020) found that fall panicum was the most abundant weed species found in Florida rice fields and adjacent habitats. The previous studies and this study show the extreme importance of fall panicum in propagating rice stink bug populations as pests in Florida rice.As noted earlier, sugarcane is Florida's major field crop primarily grown in the EAA on 159,902 ha in 2017. Our data show that fall panicum is the most abundant weed in these fields, being found in 83% of the fields in surveys during March to June. In contrast, Florida rice is only grown on 11,000 ha in the EAA, with rice fields typically being surrounded by or very close to sugarcane fields. These rice fields become attractive to the stink bugs at heading starting in late June as the sugarcane canopy closes, reducing weed populations. Recently, Babu et al. (2019, Environ. Entomol. 48: 444–453) reported that weeds serve as a bridge host for overwintered brown stink bug, Euchistus servus (Say), populations until they move into subsequent crops. Likewise, our data show that fall panicum is an important bridge host in large acreages of sugarcane for rice stink bugs of three Oebalus species until the adults move into the smaller rice acreage at a later time.