Stink Bugs (Pentatomidae) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

In this group

Brown Marmorated Stink BugHalyomorpha halys

This introduced pest occurs across much of the United States and has pale bands on the antennae and alternating pale and dark marks along the abdomen.

Brown Stink BugEuschistus servus

In southeastern U.S. cornfields, this brown species lacks the white antenna bands of brown marmorated stink bugs.

Spined Soldier BugPodisus maculiventris

This predatory species has outward-pointing shoulders and a stout beak used on other insects.

Appearance

How to recognize it: Most have a broad shield-shaped outline, five-segmented antennae, and a triangular in the middle of the back. Their beak is built for piercing and sucking.

Look-alikes

Leaf-footed BugsCoreidae

Leaf-footed bugs are often longer and narrower, and some have leaflike expansions on the hind legs. Stink bugs are usually broader, with a prominent triangular scutellum.

Why they get mixed upBoth groups are common on plants and can release odors.

Shield-backed BugsScutelleridae

A shield-backed bug has an enlarged rounded scutellum that covers nearly the entire abdomen. A stink bug usually shows the outer portions of its forewings beside the scutellum.

Why they get mixed upBoth groups have a broad shieldlike outline.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: woodland edges
grasslands
farms and orchards
gardens
Range: Stink bugs live on land across much of the world. In the United States, they occur in natural vegetation, crop fields, orchards, and gardens.
Preferred conditions: Look on leaves, stems, fruit, and seed heads where food is available. The plants and places they favor vary by species.
When it’s recorded: Recorded year-round, every year · most records in Sep–Oct
121,703 observations in the US · 10 years · for referenceChoose a state

Behavior

Diet: Most species feed on plant juices. Predatory members, including spined soldier bugs, use a thicker beak to feed on other insects.
Activity: Many release a strong odor from scent glands when disturbed.

Life cycle

Reproduction: Many species lay clusters of barrel-shaped eggs on the undersides of leaves. Wingless usually pass through five growth stages before becoming adults.

Connected species

Ties with other wildlife: Some plant-feeding species damage fruit, vegetables, and field crops. Predatory species can feed on crop pests.
Food plants: SoybeanGlycine max
Several plant-feeding stink bugs in Minnesota pierce soybean pods and developing seeds; predatory members do not.

Name and classification

Group name: “Stink bugs” usually refers to Pentatomidae in the United States. “Shield bug” can also refer to bugs outside this family; the shape of the back plate helps tell them apart.
Number of species: The family contains more than 4,700 described species worldwide.

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: Brown marmorated stink bugs often gather in buildings in fall to overwinter; this behavior should not be assumed for every stink bug species.