Brown marmorated stink bug
Named for its marbled markings, this Asian native now invades homes each autumn, gathering in large numbers to find a place to spend the winter.
| Where | Gardens, orchards, buildings in autumn |
|---|---|
| Size | 14 to 17 mm long |
| When | March to November |
It is a shield-shaped brown bug with mottled markings and alternating light and dark bands along the abdomen edge and on the antennae.
Native to East Asia, it was accidentally introduced to North America and Europe, where it feeds on many crops and aggregates inside buildings to overwinter.
Traits
Habitat
Towns
Colour
Brown, Grey
Active
Day
To people
Mild
Invasive pest of fruit and vegetable crops and a household nuisance when it overwinters indoors; its defensive secretion can irritate skin.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Mottled shieldbug lacks the clear white banding on the antennae and abdomen edge that marks the brown marmorated stink bug.
Questions
Is the Brown marmorated stink bug dangerous to people?
Mild. Invasive pest of fruit and vegetable crops and a household nuisance when it overwinters indoors; its defensive secretion can irritate skin.
When can you see the Brown marmorated stink bug?
The Brown marmorated stink bug can be seen from March to November, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory from Beltsville, USA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Public domain
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True bugs›Shield bugs›Halyomorpha
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.