Differences Between Stink Bugs & Bed Bugs

Although stink bugs and bed bugs are both pests, they are distinctly different. Bed bugs were introduced to North America by the early colonists, according to the Ohio State Entomology Department. These parasites were a common problem until the heavy use of synthetic insecticides eradicated them in the 1940s. They have since made a comeback. Some stink bugs such as the green stink bug are native to North America yet others like the brown marmorated stink bug first came to North America from Asia in the 1990s.

Stink bugs are larger than bed bugs. Stink bugs usually measure about 3/4 of an inch long and come in many different colors including brown, green, red, yellow and gray. These bugs are shaped like a shield and have long antennas. The edges of the bug's abdomen also have colorful markings. Stink bugs have four wings hidden underneath their shield-shaped body.

Bed bugs are small, measuring about 3/16 of an inch long. These bugs tend to be reddish-brown in color with flat, oval-shaped bodies. Bed bugs are similar in appearance to ticks and cockroaches. These insects are wingless but crawl quickly.

Bed bugs are parasites that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. These parasites pierce the skin with their elongated beak until they draw blood. Bed bugs feed on their host for about three to 15 minutes before they unlatch themselves and crawl away.

Stink bugs feed on crops and vegetation. They like to eat fruits such as figs, apples, mulberries, citrus fruits and peaches. Stink bugs have also been found on soybeans, vegetables and other crops. These insects pierce the flesh of the fruits or vegetable and feed on a small area of the outer surface, causing spots and discoloration.

Adult stink bugs tend to live six to eight months. These insects lay about 20 to 30 eggs between the months of May and August which hatch in the spring during warm weather. The hatchlings shed their exoskeleton about five times before they reach adulthood.

Adult bed bugs live between 12 and 18 months. These insects lay about one to 12 eggs every day. These eggs hatch six to 17 days later. Bed bugs also shed their exoskeleton about five times before they reach maturity. The frequency that bed bugs shed their exoskeletons depends on the atmospheric temperature, according to Ohio State University. Bed bugs can reach maturity in 21 days in temperatures around 86 degrees Fahrenheit but they take about 120 days to reach maturity in temperatures around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Stink bugs live outdoors usually on the plants and crops they feed on. During colder months they live in the soil. Stink bugs are most often found in warmer climates in the southern United States but are also found in the northern United States and Canada during warm weather.

It is not known exactly where bed bugs originate from. These insects feed on warm-blooded creatures but unlike other parasites such as lice, they do not live on their host. Bed bugs are nocturnal parasites that often hide during the day in dark crevices close to where their host sleeps. The insects do not build nests but they do gather in one central hiding place during the day, according to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.

Bed bugs first became a nuisance to humans when they still lived in caves thousands of years ago. Early explorers and colonists infested with bed bugs brought them to North America on ships, according to the Entomological Society of America. These parasites continued to be a problem in North America until humans started using pesticides such as DDT to get rid of them in the 1940s. When the use of DDT was banned in the United States in 1972, the bed bugs started making a comeback.

Some stink bugs, such as the green stink bug, are native to North America and have always been an agricultural pest on the continent. Other species, such as the brown marmorated stink bug, appeared more recently. These stink bugs came to North America from Asia in the 1990s and were first reported in Pennsylvania in 2001. Since then, the insects have migrated to 33 states including Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia and New York and continue to spread, according to USA Today.