- Worldwide distribution. Tropical, sub-tropical and temperate countries. On brassicas, capsicum, cucumber and other cucurbits, and legumes, including yard long beans. It is also a pest of tomato. Many other plants, including weeds.
- A stink bug (15 mm), when disturbed they smell! Nymphs back becoming spotted in rows, and increasingly green. Adults fully green.
- The bugs suck sap from flower buds, fruits and seeds of many vegetables, food legumes (yard-long beans), fruits (tomatoes), and weeds. The bugs are strong flyers.
- Natural enemies: few; possibly natural enemies.
- Cultural control: avoid planting near older infected crops; weed; use trap crops, e.g., rattle pod, Crotalaria.
- Chemical control: PDPs: derris, pyrethrum, chilli, possibly neem; alternatively, use synthetic pyrethroids, but these are likely to kill natural enemies (mostly ants).
Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Green vegetable bug (098)
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Summary
Common Name
Green vegetable bug; green stink bug; green shield bug; southern green stink bug.
Scientific Name
Nezara viridula
AUTHORS Grahame Jackson, Mani Mua & Helen Tsatsia
Information from CABI (2017) Nezara viridula (green stick bug) Crop Protection Compendium (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/36282); and Nezara viridula (Linnaeus) Entomology & Nematology. UF/IFAS, University of Florida. (http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/bean/southern_green_stink_bug.htm); and Waterhouse DF, Norris KR (1987) Nezara viridula (Linnaeus). Biological Control Pacific Prospects. Inkata Press; and Nezara viridula. Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nezara_viridula); and from Martin NA (2018) Green vegetable bug - Nezara viridula. (https://nzacfactsheets.landcareresearch.co.nz/factsheet/InterestingInsects/Green-vegetable-bug---Nezara-viridula.html). Photo 5 Cameron Prybol, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Georgia, USA.
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
