Stink Bug

Stink bug is the common name for members of the family Pentatomidae, order Hemiptera — so named for their characteristic five-sided, shield-like outline. The family includes thousands of species worldwide.

Many stink bug species feed on plants and are notable agricultural pests due to their piercing-sucking mouthparts, which can damage developing fruit, seeds, and foliage. Other species are predatory, feeding on caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects, making the family ecologically diverse.

The group's most recognizable trait is a pair of glands on the thorax that release a strong, volatile odor when the insect is disturbed, a defense mechanism that gives the group its common name.

• Broad, flattened, shield or pentagon-shaped body
• Coloring varies by species: green, brown, gray, or mottled patterns are common
• Large triangular scutellum covering much of the back between the wings
• Piercing-sucking mouthpart folded beneath the body; five-segmented antennae
• Body length roughly 12–17 mm; distinguished from beetles by membranous, overlapping wingtips rather than wing covers that meet in a straight line

Distributed worldwide in temperate and subtropical regions. Found on a wide variety of host plants including garden vegetables, field crops, and fruit trees. Active from spring through fall, with many species overwintering as adults in leaf litter, bark crevices, or structures.

Feeds by inserting a straw-like mouthpart into plant tissue to draw out sap and juices from leaves, stems, and developing fruit. Releases a strong defensive scent from thoracic glands when disturbed or crushed. Some species are predatory rather than plant-feeding, hunting caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects. Plant-feeding species are considered common pests of tomatoes, beans, and orchard fruit due to feeding damage.

Incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult — no pupal stage). Eggs are typically laid in clusters, often barrel-shaped, on the undersides of leaves. Nymphs pass through five instars, resembling smaller, wingless versions of the adult with changing color patterns as they mature. Depending on climate, one to several generations occur per year, with adults overwintering in sheltered sites.