Stink Bugs on Tomatoes: Identify, Tolerate, or Treat

Shield-shaped, funky-looking bugs on your tomatoes are likely stink bugs. They pierce fruit to suck juice, leaving yellow halos with tiny black centers. Their name comes from the foul odor when crushed.

Management Options

• Do nothing: Natural predators often keep populations in check. Minor cosmetic damage doesn’t affect yield.
• Spray: If you need pristine fruit, apply labeled garden insecticides regularly per directions.

For identification help, see Tomato Stink Bugs and Brown Marmorated Stink Bug resources.