Lychee stink bug
When threatened, this stink bug sprays a corrosive defensive fluid that can burn skin and, government warnings note, may cause blindness if it reaches the eyes.
| Where | Lychee and longan orchards across Asia |
|---|---|
| Size | 24 to 30 mm body length |
| When | March to August |
Adults are 24 to 30 millimeters long and yellowish brown to tawny colored, while young nymphs are bright red or orange with bold black edges before turning grey with a waxy bloom as they mature. It feeds by piercing the buds, shoots and fruit of lychee and longan trees.
When disturbed it sprays a corrosive defensive fluid from glands on the thorax; on skin this can cause burning pain and, in serious cases, ulceration, and agricultural advisories warn it can injure eyes if not rinsed out immediately with plenty of water.
Traits
Habitat
Farmland
Colour
Brown, Yellow
Active
Day
To people
Take care
Its defensive spray can burn skin and eyes; rinse with plenty of water right away and avoid handling it bare handed.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Blackish body marked with yellow spots and yellow banded legs, unlike the plain yellowish brown, unmarked body of the lychee stink bug.
Questions
Is the Lychee stink bug dangerous to people?
Take care. Its defensive spray can burn skin and eyes; rinse with plenty of water right away and avoid handling it bare handed.
When can you see the Lychee stink bug?
The Lychee stink bug can be seen from March to August, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by portioid, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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True bugs›Tessaratomidae›Tessaratoma
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.