Biology and Management of the Green Stink Bug

The green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say) [Chinavia hilaris (Say)] (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is one of the most damaging native stink bug species in the United States. It is a pest of economic importance in a variety of commodities, including cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.), and peaches [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]. Stink bug feeding can result in cosmetic damage as well as reduced quality and yield. Acrosternum hilare and other stink bugs have become a major challenge to integrated pest management systems because control options are basically limited to the application of broad-spectrum insecticides such as organophosphates, carbamates, and pyrethroids. However, neonicotinoids are generally effective for control of this stink bug and may be less disruptive to natural enemies. Further options for stink bug management that are being explored include the use of trap crops and enhancing beneficial parasitoid populations. The green stink bug is native and found throughout the United States. It has a wide host range, and is a pest of many agricultural commodities. The green stink bug can cause feeding injury to fruit, vegetable, and field crops that may require preventative management. Many strategies are available for its control, which include multiple chemical, cultural, and biological options. Broad-spectrum insecticides such as pyrethroids and organophosphates, as well as the less toxic neonicotinoids, are efficacious against the green stink bug. Cultural options, including trap cropping and the planting of resistant varieties, have been documented as decreasing crop injury by stink bugs. In addition, there are multiple natural enemies that reduce population numbers.