Hemiptera (Heteroptera): Pentatomidae

Identification
• Stink bugs have a shieldlike shape with a large triangular area between the leathery portions of the front wings (scutellum) and five-segmented antennae. Telling the good guys (predators) from the bad guys (plant feeders), however, is not always easy. A simple rule of thumb is that green stink bugs are most often plant feeders, while brown or gray stink bugs are more likely to be predators. Actually, some brown or grey stink bugs are plant feeders, but are somewhat less common than their green counterparts.

Host Range
• Predatory stink bugs feed on caterpillars, leaf beetle larvae, and other slow-moving insects, but also feed on plants at times.  However, this feeding does not damage the plants. Plant feeding stink bugs suck the juices from plant stems, seeds, and fruits.