Species Chinavia hilaris - Green Stink Bug

Green Soldier Bug

=Acrosternum hilare, Nezara hilaris

Chinavia hilaris (Say 1832)

Latin hilaris 'lively, cheerful'

13-19 mm(1)

Key to eastern spp. adapted from(1):

scent gland channel extends more than half-way to edge of metapleuron

(shorter, more rounded in Nezara)(2)

adult scutellum has pale dot in each basal corner; third and fourth antennal segments blackish, and color is restricted to apical half of segments; connexivium usually has conspicuous dark dot on apical margin of each abdominal segment; side of pronotum straight or slightly convex in anterior half; second abdominal sternite has pointed medial spine; ventral scent gland pore long and curved

throughout the US and adjacent Canada(1)(3); Mexico(4)

Woodlands, edges, cultivated land

late Feb to Nov(1)

extremely polyphagous: recorded from 20 plant families(5); adults and older nymphs prefer developing seeds and fruit. May be a pest on soybean, cotton, fruit trees (esp. peach), and many vegetables(6)(3)

"Keg-shaped" eggs are attached to the underside of leaves in double rows of twelve or more. One generation per year in North, two in south.

Hatchlings (1st and 2nd instars)

3rd instar

4th instar

5th instar

(Our best interpretation of the BugGuide images based upon photographs at Forestry Images)

Nezara viridula: scutellum has black (not pale) dot in each basal corner; connexivium uniformly colored, with no or faint dark dot on apical margin of each segment; pronotal sides slightly concave in anterior half; medial spine of second abdominal sternite rounded (not pointed); ventral scent gland pore short and broad (not long and curved); nymphs vary greatly in appearance according to age