11 Types of Stink Bugs Found In Pennsylvania! (ID GUIDE)

What types of stink bugs live in Pennsylvania?

Common Stink Bugs in Pennsylvania

So you probably know that stink bugs stink, but they don’t stink all the time. Instead, they will spray their stink juice from holes all over their body when frightened as a defense mechanism or if you squish them.

And if that isn’t bad enough, some stink bugs can bite. Luckily, it will only sting for a second and is not venomous!

11 kinds of stink bugs found in Pennsylvania:


#1. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

  • Halyomorpha Halys

Types of Stink Bugs found in Pennsylvania

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Brown on top and creamy whitish brown on the bottom. But colors can vary to red, grey, light brown, copper, or black.
  • Blunt head has light and dark bands on antennae and around abdomen edges with a pale ring on each leg.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug gets the award for the biggest pest in Pennsylvania.

This stink bug was first seen in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in September 1998. It is believed that this stink bug hitched a ride from China or Japan in a shipping container. But, unfortunately, your Amazon packages were not the only thing making their way here.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Range Map

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug range map

This stink bug emerges in spring and can produce five generations annually in warm weather. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug’s habitat includes gardens, parks, and agricultural fields.

This species eats over 100 plants such as ornamental fruits and vegetable crops. They will eat the juice of the fruits and veggies. These stink bugs cause pitting and scarring of the fruit, and also introduce microorganisms that cause decay.

Then in the fall, this stink bug seeks shelter from the cold weather.

Up to hundreds will seek refuge indoors and can become a massive nuisance. They look for openings, such as gaps in vents, windows, and doors.

Stink Bugs species that live in Pennsylvania

But don’t worry, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug doesn’t bite people or pets, and they don’t spread disease. But be careful not to pick them up or squash them because they will release their stink spray with a nasty odor.

Find out why the Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs stink.

YouTube video

#2. Green Burgundy Stink Bug

  • Banasa dimiata

Green burgundy stink bug pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Front pale green or yellow, rear dark green or reddish-brown.
  • The underside of the abdomen may have or may not have black dots along the sides.

The stink bug is common and abundant throughout Pennsylvania.

Green Burgundy Range Map

Green burgundy stink bug range map

You will find the stink bug on many different trees and shrubs such as Dogwoods, Honeysuckles, and various fruit trees from spring through fall. In winter, the adults seek shelter in outbuildings or anywhere they can. So you may find them anywhere around your home, inside or out.

Like many other stink bugs, this species is common prey of parasitic wasps and flies.


#3. Blue Shieldbug

  • Zicrona Caerulea

blue shield bug pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Metallic blue-green shield and a dark wing membrane.
  • During the nymph stage are red with black spots; look like ladybugs with longer antennae and legs.

I think Blue Shieldbugs are the prettiest stink bugs in Pennsylvania.

But honestly, they look more like beetles to me.

Blue Shieldbug Range Map

blue shield bug range map

Look for the Blue Shieldbug in its natural habitat which consists of low vegetation such as damp grassland and forest edges.

This stink bug eats the larvae of various beetles, caterpillars, and moths and feeds on plants.


#4. Rough Stink Bug

  • Brochymena Quadripustulata

four humped stink bug pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Color can vary from brown, gray, and blackish gray with stripes and orange spots.
  • Also known as the Four-Humped Stink Bug.

This species is one of the more common stink bugs throughout Pennsylvania.

Rough Stink Bug Range Map

rough stink bug range map

Rough Stink Bugs are known to eat 18 different types of plants. Unfortunately, they eat many crops, such as corn, apples, and soybeans.

You can tell if the stink bug has been eating your plants because of the leaf destruction and scarring and pitting on the fruit or vegetable. Typically, this insect will infest crops up to 40 feet (12.1 m) from the edge of the field. This is called the edge effect.

The Rough Stink Bug prefers warmer weather but has learned to survive and thrive in cooler temperatures. But do not fear, if they have moved into your home, they can’t feed or reproduce. Then once the weather gets warmer, they will try to move back outside.


#5. Spined Soldier Bug

  • Podisus Maculiventris

Spined Soldier Bug pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Brown with a spine on each shoulder that points out not foward.
  • Legs are yellowish.

The Spined Soldier Bug is beneficial; they eat many other nasty bugs. Like their name, they are soldiers and soldiers protect.

This stink bug species is common throughout Pennsylvania and should be a welcomed guest to your garden. Unfortunately, they prefer to eat caterpillars of the gypsy moth and larva of many beetles considered pests to gardeners.

Spined Soldier Bug Range Map

Spined Soldier Bug range map

The Spined Soldier Bug also will feed on some juices of plants. The good news is that they are not capable of causing any harm to plants.


#6. Black-and-Red Stink Bug

  • Cosmopepla lintneriana

twice stabbed stink bug pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Two spots of orange or red on the lower abdomen with a black body.
  • Band of orange or red across the upper abdomen.
  • Also known as the Wee Harlequin Bug and Twice-Stabbed Stink Bug.

This stink bug species is widespread. You may find adults crawling among leaf litter early in the year and soon after the snow melts on warm sunny days in early spring.

Black and Red Stink Bug Range Map

black and red stink bug range map

This stink bug eats various plants, including milk thistle, echinacea, asparagus, oats, mint, and goldenrod. The Black and Red Stink Bug is the most common stink bug found on the milkweed plant.


#7. Mormidea Lugens

  • Mormidea Lugens

Mormidea Lugens pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Small in size bronze and black with a tannish-white V shape mark on the shield.
  • Legs are yellowish-white.

It may surprise you that this stink bug can be found from the Caribbean up to Pennsylvania.

This stink bug prefers its habitat in grasses but can be found on many other plants.

Mormidea Lugens Range Map

Mormidea Lugens range map

This species likes to feed on Timothy Sedges and wide-leaved spiderwort.


#8. Two-Spotted Stink Bug

  • Perillu bioculatus

two spotted stink bug pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Color can vary from black and red or orange or yellowish orange to reddish tan and creamy white.
  • Keyhole mark on the back and two black spots on the upper part of the shield.
  • The beak is twice as thick as its antennae. Legs have a whiteish stripe in the middle.
  • Also known as the Double-Eyed Solider Bug.

You can find this species foraging for prey on plants. Their two spots and keyhole mark helps you quickly identify this species.

The Two-spotted Stink Bug is one of the most beneficial stink bugs in Pennsylvania.

Make sure not to harm these helpful stink bugs. Both larval and adult stages are predators of all the nasty bugs that harm crops and plants, such as other stink bugs, beetles, and caterpillars.

Two-spotted Stink Bug Range Map

two spotted Stink bug range map

Like other bugs, the Two-spotted Stink Bug has a beak. To feed, they will swing their beaks up from under their bodies and sneak up on their prey. Then, they stab their prey with their harpoon-like tipped beak and inject digestive enzymes which paralyze their victim.

This stink bug then sucks up the digested insides. Their beaks are SO strong; they can even pierce the hard shell of a hazelnut.


#9. Anchor Stink Bug

  • Stiretrus anchorago

Anchor stink bug pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Colors and patterns vary; they can be black with white, pink, orange, red, or nothing but black.
  • All have a U-shaped shield abdomen.
  • Anchorago refers to the anchor-like pattern on their shield.

The Anchor Stink Bug prefers its habitat on various herbaceous plants such as coneflowers and most annuals and biennials.

Anchor Stink Bug Range Map

Anchor stink bug range map

This stink bug feeds on beetle larvae and caterpillars such as the Mexican Bean and Japanese.

Unfortunately, the Anchor Stink Bug is a frequent predator of Monarch Butterfly caterpillars!


#10. Rice Stink Bug

  • Oebalus pugnax

rice stink bug pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Narrow shield, yellowish straw color, with sharp points on corners of their shield.
  • Yellow triangle on the center of the shield.
  • Some have gray coloring near the yellow triangle, while others may have darker brown.

As the name suggests, the Rice Stink Bug is a pest of rice crops.

Rice Stink Bug Range Map

rice stink bug range map

When this stink bug eats the rice, they damage the developing seed head and leave an empty shell or shriveled kernels. In addition, this damage can cause microorganism diseases and other crop losses.

The Rice Stink Bugs also attack crops with tiny seeds, such as sorghum, oat, barley, and wheat. You can find these stink bugs also living in wild grasses such as barnyard grass, Johnson Grass, and sedge.

These insects are incredibly mobile and can travel in huge masses, going in and out of fields quickly searching for more tasty food.

Check out this video about how much damage the Rice Stink Bug can cause.

YouTube video

#11. Black Stink Bug

  • Proxys punctulatus

black stink bug pic

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Black with black and cream legs, very pointy shoulders point forward.
  • One white spot in the center of the shield.

Luckily, Black Stink Bugs don’t appear to damage crops in Pennsylvania.

Black Stink Bug Range Map

black stink bug range map

Instead, they seem to help keep away pests from farm fields. Look for this species foraging for insect larvae on cotton, soybean, and citrus fields.

They also feed on plant juices, but they never reach high populations, so their damage to the plants is very minimal.

Over winter, you typically find the Black Stink Bug under leaf litter or inside logs, hibernating together to stay warm.


Do you need additional help identifying stink bugs in Pennsylvania?

Try this field guide!


Which of these stink bugs have you seen in Pennsylvania?

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