COMMON NAME
Green stink bug
Order

Suborder

Family

Genus

Species

Alias
Hemiptera

Heteroptera

Pentatomoidea



Plautia affinis


Description

Adults are bright green, shield shaped (also a shield bug) with hard elytra (wing coverings) . They are similar to the green vegetable bug but smaller and with a brown pattern on their elytra. Early instar nymphs are black with yellow markings, and later instars are bright green with yellow and black markings on their lower back.

Adult size: 4-8mm

Out and about

Most numerous over summer. This is an Australian bug occurring mainly in Queensland and New South Wales. There is a North American bug also called Green stink bug (Chinavia halaris) but it looks more like our Green vegetable bug.

Reproduction and Life cycle

The eggs, which are an olive green colour, are laid in a raft formation but only 5-15 at a time. There is usually only one generation per season but the female can lay as many as 400 eggs in her lifetime.

To deter

To control

The nymphs have much softer bodies and this would be a good time to get them as they are more vulnerable. All adults have a hard shell so it is more effective to use something they will ingest. - Pyrethrum spray - Neem oil - Garlic and chilli spray may help to deter them - Soap spray - Diatomaceous earth on nymphs - Keep weeds down - Rotate crops - Plant early before summertime peak of numbers

Plants to repel

Plants to attract

Predators

Assassin bugs / Birds / Parasitoid wasps
Why they are a Pest
Green stink bugs don’t do as much damage as the green veggie bug, but they also have piercing and sucking mouth parts and attack young fruit. This causes the fruit to become misshapen and dry as it grows resulting in poor quality produce. They breed up on weeds (such as horehound and and wild blackberry nightshade) then fly across to crops like legumes, raspberries and sorghum.
calendarchevron-upsticky-note-ohand-paper-o