- Widespread. Asia, North America, Europe, Oceania. In Guam.
- An invasive and damaging pest of fruit trees, row crops, vegetables, woody ornamentals, wood lots. More than 100 hosts. Sucks sap and inject toxins. Feed on fruits causing spots, sunken areas, distortions, death.
- A stink bug (up to 17 mm); smell when disturbed! Eggs cream to yellow orange in clusters; nymphs dark heads, orange abdomens and black stripes; adults mottled brown with black and white markings at edges. In temperate countries, adults aggregate in autumn to find cracks and crevices to overwinter (homes, luggage, machinery, cars, cargo). Spreads on the wing over short distances; spread long distances as hitchhikers on ships, and via horticultural trade.
- Natural enemies: Trissolcus species important in Asia.
- Biosecurity: quarantine measures; high vigilance, many interceptions reported.
- Cultural control: no effective recommendations.
- Chemical control: neonicotinoids and pyrethroids, but (i) resistance to pyrethroids may be developing, and (ii) their use has resulted in outbreaks of other pests due to loss of natural enemies.
