Southern Green Stink Bug

Author: H. C. Ellis, Extension Entomologist. The University of Georgia - Department of Entomology. College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Southern Green Stink Bug - Nezara viridula

Leaffooted Bug Leptoglossus phyllopus

Description

The southern green stink bug adult is shield-shaped, light green, about 1/2 inch (12 mm) long and has an offensive odor. The leaffooted bug adult is narrower in body outline than the stink bug, light to dark brown, and about 1/2 inch (12 mm) long. The leaffooted bug has a flattened leaf-like segment in the hind legs (Figure 18).

Damage

The southern green stink bug, leaffooted bug and similar bugs sometimes cause black pit and kernel spot of pecan nuts. Black pit is indicated by a darkening of the insides of the immature nuts which is followed by premature drop. Pecan weevils and shuckworms cause similar conditions. Kernel spot (Figure 19) consists of brown spots from 1/16 to 3/16 inch (1.6 - 5 mm) in diameter which form a pithy porous area. The injury cannot be detected until the nuts are shelled. Nuts will drop if bugs attack them before shell hardening ; after shell hardening, spots will form on the kernels. The bugs can feed through hardened shells. The severity of black pit or kernel spot depends upon the abundance of plant bugs on the native plants and cover crops that are present (for bug breeding).

Seasonal History

The bugs overwinter as adults in trash or other shelter near the orchard. In the spring, they lay eggs in clusters underneath leaves of weeds, cover crops or low growing plants. These are the food plants until the bugs are fully grown. There may be as many as four generations per year. Pecans normally are attacked only by mature bugs which fly to the trees from other plants.

When to Control

Use proper cover crops and orchard sanitation. Do not plant cowpeas, soybeans, or Crotalaria as summer cover crops near the orchard. Practice good weed control. Destroy wild hosts such as jimsonweed, beggarweed, thistle and maypop. Keep orchards well mowed during the summer. For winter cover crops, use legumes such as hairy vetch or reseeding crimson clover. Apply controls if high numbers of bugs (1 per 40 terminals) are observed in orchards.