Fauna
Insect · GBIF taxon 2078852

Southern Green Stink Bug

Nezara viridula

Also known as Southern Green Shield Bug, Green Vegetable Bug, Cotton Stink Bug

Southern green stink bugs pierce plant tissues with needle-like mouthparts to suck juices from seeds, immature fruits, and developing buds. When disturbed or seized, adults discharge a foul-smelling blend of aldehydes and esters from thoracic scent glands to deter predators. Adults overwinter under leaf litter or tree bark, often shifting to a dull brownish-bronze hue during cold months before returning to bright apple-green in spring.

CosmopolitanAgricultural PestHerbivorous
Southern Green Stink Bug reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Juan Emilio, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Soybean Pods
  • Tomato Fruits
  • Cowpea Seeds
Predators
  • Feather-legged Fly
  • Wheel Bug
  • Green Anole
ThreatsInsecticide applications, parasitic wasps and tachinid flies, extreme winter freezes
HabitatsAgricultural fields, vegetable gardens, orchards, and overgrown edges
Life span2–4 months as an active adult; up to 10 months with winter diapause
Classification
  1. OrderHemiptera
  2. FamilyPentatomidae
  3. GenusNezara
  4. SpeciesNezara viridula
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Emits an unpleasant pungent odor when handled; completely harmless to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Garden Scouting: Check the undersides of bean and tomato leaves for neat geometric clusters of barrel-shaped eggs.
  • Gentle Handling: Avoid pinching or crushing the insect, as its defensive secretion leaves a stubborn scent and yellowish stain on skin.
  • Seasonal Coloration: Look for bronze or rust-colored individuals during late autumn and winter diapause.
Related species
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