Green Stink Bug: All You Need to Know in One Handy Guide

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The Green Stink Bug, scientifically known as Chinavia halaris, is a prevalent insect found throughout eastern North America, spanning from Quebec to Florida and even across to the Pacific Coast. They are known for their peculiar, yet recognizable, green shield-like shape and the distinctive foul odor they produce when threatened or crushed. These seemingly harmless insects are not only a nuisance to homeowners but can also be detrimental to various crops and plants, highlighting their significance to both agriculture and ecosystems.

Early spring marks the active period for Green Stink Bugs as they feed on a range of plants, including native and ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, weeds, and soybean. Although they typically prefer wild plant hosts, these bugs often migrate to agricultural fields, such as soybean, causing potential damage to crops. The presence of Green Stink Bugs should not be taken lightly due to their potential negative impact on food crops and ornamental plant life.

What Is a Green Stink Bug

Scientific Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Hemiptera
  • Family: Pentatomidae
  • Genus: Chinavia
  • Species: Chinavia hilaris (formerly Acrosternum hilare)

Description

The Green Stink Bug is a member of the insect family Pentatomidae. It is also known as Chinavia hilaris. This bug is known for its bright green color and shield-like shape.

These insects are found on various plants, including trees, shrubs, and soybeans. Researchers have found that they prefer wild plants. When such plants mature, the green stink bugs may move to cultivated plants like soybeans.

Physical Characteristics

  • Size: Adult green stink bugs grow to be about 12 to 15 mm long.
  • Shape: Their body has a shield-like shape, which gives them their distinct appearance.
  • Color: They are bright green, with some variations having a brownish shade.
  • Wings: The folded wings form an X pattern on their back, which is a characteristic feature.
  • Mouthparts: These bugs have piercing mouthparts used for sucking juices from plant tissues.

Green stink bugs are often mistaken for the Southern Green Stink Bug, Nezara viridula. However, the two can be distinguished by the length of their ventral ostiolar canal. The Green Stink Bug has a longer canal that extends well beyond the middle of its supporting plate, while the Southern Green Stink Bug’s canal is shorter.

These bugs are known for their offensive odor, which they release when they feel threatened or are handled. The foul smell is their natural defense mechanism against predators.

Life Cycle and Behavior

Eggs and Nymphs

Green stink bugs begin their life cycle as eggs, which are often laid in clusters of 20-50 on plant surfaces1. These eggs are:

  • One of the largest stink bug eggs
  • Pure white with numerous tiny nubs at the crown
  • Smooth eggshell surface

Upon hatching, nymphs emerge in five stages called instars2. Each stage has unique characteristics:

  • Early instars: Small, round, and often black or dark-colored
  • Later instars: Closer to adult in shape and coloration

Adults and Mating

Adult green stink bugs are:

  • Shield-shaped
  • Bright green to dull brown
  • 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length and about 1/2 inch wide3

Mating typically occurs in the spring and summer. Males attract females using vibrational signals generated by rubbing their wings against their abdomen4.

Molting Process

The molting process is essential for nymphs to transition through the instar stages. Factors affecting molting include:

  • Temperature5: Warmer conditions often speed up molting rates
  • Food availability: Abundant food supply supports successful molts

Comparison Table – Instar Stages vs. Molting

Instar Stage Transition Duration
1st to 2nd Molting Short
2nd to 3rd Molting Moderate
3rd to 4th Molting Longer
4th to 5th Molting Longest

Feeding and Diet

Plants and Fruits

The Green Stink Bug, also known as Chinavia halaris, is a shield-shaped pest known for its offensive odor and feeding habits. This bug feeds on various plants and fruits, causing damage to crops.

  • Fruits: Green Stink Bugs have a strong preference for certain fruits, including apples, oranges, peaches, and tomatoes. These pests can cause “catfacing” on peaches due to their feeding, leaving them scarred and deformed.
  • Plants: Apart from fruits, Green Stink Bugs also feed on other plants like soybeans and eggplants. Their feeding can cause economic damage to crops as they can affect the yield and quality of the produce.

Seeds and Stems

The Green Stink Bug not only damages fruits and plants, but also targets seeds and stems.

  • Seeds: Nuts, cherry pits, and other seeds are also part of the Green Stink Bug’s diet. The bug’s feeding on these parts of the plant can hinder seed development.
  • Stems: Another target of this pest is the stems of the plants, such as beans and other crops. By maintaining a wider diet, Green Stink Bugs contribute to troublesome crop and garden damage.

Pest Management and Control

Biological Control

Green stink bugs are a pest that can cause damage to plants. One way to control them is by encouraging the presence of their natural enemies, such as predatory stink bugs.

  • Some predatory stink bugs eat other pests like caterpillars, aphids, and larvae
  • Spined soldier bugs and anchor bugs are examples of beneficial predatory stink bugs

Encouraging natural predators can be achieved by planting plants that attract them, such as:

  • Sunflowers
  • Goldenrods
  • Marigolds

Another biological control method is the use of pheromones, which can be released to attract and trap green stink bugs.

Chemical Control

Green stink bugs can also be managed using chemical controls. One option is using neem oil, a natural insecticide derived from the neem tree. Some benefits and drawbacks of using neem oil include:

Pros:

  • Eco-friendly
  • Non-toxic to humans and pets

Cons:

  • Might affect beneficial insects
  • Needs repeated applications

Other chemical pesticides are available but should be used as a last resort, due to potential harm to the environment and beneficial organisms.

Physical Removal

Physical removal of green stink bugs can help reduce their populations, especially in smaller infestations. One common method is vacuuming.

  • Use a hand-held vacuum to remove bugs from plants
  • Dispose of the vacuum bag or bugs in a sealed bag to prevent escape

Remember to handle green stink bugs gently, as they release an unpleasant odor when crushed or disturbed.

Bug Control Recommendation Tool

What type of pest are you dealing with?

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Are you willing to monitor and maintain the treatment yourself?


Relation to Other Stink Bug Species

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) is a related, but different species from the Green Stink Bug. They share some similarities:

  • Both have a shield-like shape
  • Both can cause damage to various crops

However, they also have differences:

  • BMSB is brown, while Green Stink Bug is green
  • BMSB can be more invasive to homes as well as agriculture

Red and Black Stink Bugs

The Red and Black Stink Bugs are another group related to the Green Stink Bug. They share the same shield-like shape, but differ in coloration:

  • Red and Black Stink Bugs have distinctive red and black markings
  • Green Stink Bug is solid green

Spined Soldier Bug

The Spined Soldier Bug is another stink bug species, but with a unique feature:

  • It has distinctive spines on its shoulders

Unlike other stink bugs, the Spined Soldier Bug is a predatory species:

  • It is beneficial to agriculture, as it preys on pest insects
Feature Green Stink Bug Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Red and Black Stink Bugs Spined Soldier Bug
Color Green Brown Red and Black Brown
Shield-like Shape Yes Yes Yes Yes
Agricultural Pest Yes Yes Yes No
Invasive to Homes No Yes No No
Predatory No No No Yes

Geographical Distribution

Eastern North America

Green Stink Bugs are commonly found in Eastern North America. Their bright green color and shield shape make them easily identifiable. Here’s a list of some characteristics of Green Stink Bugs:

  • Bright green color
  • Shield shape
  • 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length
  • 1/2 inch wide

New England to Florida

From New England to Florida, these bugs are prevalent, causing damage to crops and plants in the area. Early spring activity makes them a known presence after winter months.

Below is a comparison of Green Stink Bugs in different locations:

Feature Eastern North America New England to Florida
Size 1/2 – 3/4 inch 1/2 – 3/4 inch
Color Bright green Bright green
Shape Shield Shield
Active season Early spring Early spring
Commonly damaged crops Seeds, grains, nuts, fruits Seeds, grains, nuts, fruits

Overall, Green Stink Bugs have a large geographical distribution impacting agriculture and plant life throughout Eastern North America and from New England to Florida.

Economic Importance

The green stink bug, Chinavia hilaris, has significant economic importance, particularly in agriculture. These bugs are known to feed on a variety of plants, causing damage to crucial food crops and reducing yield.

For instance, they are known to attack cotton plants, which leads to a decrease in the quality and quantity of cotton fibers. Similarly, green stink bugs can infest elderberry and black cherry plants, causing damage to the fruit, and making it less appealing for consumption.

  • Examples of affected crops:
    • Cotton
    • Elderberry
    • Black cherry

Below is a table comparing their impact on different crops:

Crop Impact of Green Stink Bug
Cotton Reduced fiber quality, lower yield
Elderberry Damaged fruit, decreased market value
Black cherry Unappealing fruit appearance, lower yield

In conclusion, the green stink bug causes economic harm by damaging crops and reducing their market value. Ensuring effective pest management is essential for minimizing their impact on the agricultural sector.

Footnotes

  1. USDA ARS
  2. Missouri Department of Conservation
  3. Oklahoma State University – OSU Extension
  4. University of Florida – Entomology and Nematology
  5. Purdue University

 

 

 

 

 

 

Immature Green Stink Bug

 

 

 

 

Green Stink Bug Nymph

 

 

 

 

Stink Bug Nymph

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Authors

  • Bugman

    Bugman aka Daniel Marlos has been identifying bugs since 1999. whatsthatbug.com is his passion project and it has helped millions of readers identify the bug that has been bugging them for over two decades. You can reach out to him through our Contact Page.

    View all posts
  • Piyushi is a nature lover, blogger and traveler at heart. She lives in beautiful Canada with her family. Piyushi is an animal lover and loves to write about all creatures.

    View all posts
Tags: Stink Bugs

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