Stink Bugs
The mouthparts of sucking insects, including stink bugs, are developed for piercing and sucking. Piercing/sucking pests damage plants by inserting their mouthparts into plant tissue and removing juices. Heavily infested plants become yellow, wilted, deformed or stunted, and may eventually die. Many stink bug species feed on the fruit of a wide range of plants including beets, beans, pears, squash, tomatoes and corn, causing the fruit to become shriveled and deformed. The most common species attacking home gardens are the green stink bug and the brown stink bug. Hand-picking may lower number sufficiently for damage control. Some species of stink bugs (see links below) are beneficial predators on other insects, such as the anchor stink bug (Stiretrus anchorago) and the spined soldier bug (Podisus maculiventris).
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- A mass of stink bug eggs
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- Stink Bug
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- Adult stink bug
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- Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (adult)
Additional Information (including management recommendations):
- Sucking Insects That Affect Vegetable Plants
- Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Northeastern IPM Center) || Videos on Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
- Examples of some predatory stink bugs:
- Anchor Stink Bug (BugGuide.net)
- Spined Soldier Bug (BugGuide.net)