Green Stink Bug

Natural Habitat

Green stink bugs are commonly found in gardens, agricultural fields, orchards, and wooded areas. They prefer habitats with abundant vegetation that provides both food sources and shelter.

Diet & Feeding

Green stink bugs are primarily herbivorous, feeding on a wide variety of plants. They use their piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap, fruits, seeds, and vegetables. They are known to feed on crops such as soybeans, cotton, corn, tomatoes, and various fruit trees.

Behavior Patterns

Green stink bugs are known to overwinter as adults, often under leaf litter or in dense vegetation. They emerge in the spring to mate and lay eggs, typically in clusters on the underside of leaves. Nymphs hatch and go through several instars before becoming adults. When disturbed, they release a foul-smelling liquid as a defense mechanism, which is where their common name 'stink bug' comes from.

Risks & Benefits

Potential risks include being a significant agricultural pest, causing damage to a wide range of crops by feeding on them. This feeding can lead to stunted growth, deformed fruits, and reduced yields, impacting farmers economically. They can also be a nuisance to homeowners when they enter houses in the fall seeking overwintering sites, releasing their foul odor if handled. There are no known direct benefits to humans or the ecosystem, though they are part of the food web for some predators.

Identified on: 8/16/2025