Green stink bug

After mating, the females lay a dozen barrel-like eggs on the underside of a leaf. They are greenish yellow at first and become greyish pink before they hatch, after about one week. The young nymphs that emerge have distinctive white marks on the abdomen. They moult five times before reaching adulthood and reproducing.

The life cycle of the green stink bug varies from 30 to 45 days, depending on temperatures. Populations living in the north, e.g. here in Quebec, have only one generation, whereas those living in the south have two. An adult can live about two months if temperatures are warm enough. Many immature individuals overwinter buried in leaf litter or hidden under bark. They can be seen starting in the following May.