Watch For Stink Bugs In Crops In 2026

By Linda Geist

Something’s been stinking in Missouri soybean, corn and cotton crops since the 1990s.

University of Missouri Extension state field crops and forage entomologist Ivair Valmorbida says stink bugs feed on a variety of plant species, including corn and soybeans.

Green stink bugs make up more than 70% of the stink bugs in Missouri soybeans. The adults and nymphs use their piercing mouthparts to suck fluid from developing pods and seeds. True to their name, they give off an offensive odor when handled.

The brown marmorated stink bug is also present in Missouri crops, but it is not as abundant as the green stink bug. All overwinter as adults and emerge in the spring when temperatures and day length increase.

Stink bug feeding in soybeans reduces yield and seed quality. Seeds shrivel, shrink and become deformed and discolored. The damage generally is not apparent until harvest, when it’s too late to treat, says Valmorbida.