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Predatory Stink Bug

Predatory stink bugs have an unusual shape that resembles a shield. Most stink bugs are plant pests, but predatory stink bugs are beneficial to gardeners. Instead of using long and narrow needle-like mouthparts to pierce plant tissue, they use stouter needle-like mouthparts to pierce and consume body fluids of other insects. Females lay their barrel-shaped eggs on leaves. The nymphs go through different stages of molting before achieving their mature adult form. As nymphs molt, colors change and the oval shape of the nymph evolves into the mature shield shape where wings are developed into their functional form. The name, stink bug, comes from the foul smelling chemicals that the bug can excrete in threatening situations. Some people identify the smell with the spice coriander, and in some places around the world these insects are eaten by humans because of their strong scent.