Here at least some stages (and maybe all) of them damage my roses. Last year my roses looked like someone took a match to all the new growth - disgusting! This year they aren't anywhere near as bad, maybe because I have more companion plants. They seem to like hollyhocks. When I researched them last year, I saw they have very few enemy bugs and it's hard to kill them with pesticides. I squish them. They're pretty slow. And if you see rows of tiny golden eggs on leaves (top and bottom), that's them. Get rid of them.

Sherry

There's only one stink bug subfamily containing predatory species; all the rest of the family ("Pentatomidae") is composed of plant-feeding species.

Be mindful of the fact that all of them have mouths that function as needles. If you see holes in the leaves or petals those aren't being caused by feeding stink bugs. Since stink bugs eat by sucking the sap & other plant juices out of their hosts, the damage their feeding causes appears as stunted, distorted new growth.

Thanks for the info. Are there any organic controls?

I was out in the garden this evening, and THEY WERE THERE. Ugh! Attacking the new growth. The organic control I use is my glove-covered fingers - or anything I can use to squish them between. Don't like touching them bare. Found a grasshopper today, too, on White Pet. He's dead now. Squished.

Sherry

I've never found stink bugs a proper. Grasshoppers, however...

Sherry, thank you! I was wondering what the heck those little golden things were. I figured it was some kind of bug egg. And now I know why the leaves look the way they do. Between the stink bugs, lubbers and blackspot, I think it's time to give up on the roses in Florida.

Julie

Julie, I'm glad I could have a small part in eliminating stink bugs from the earth! And please don't give up on roses. I just posted a thread last night on the Antique Roses forum with photos of my garden. There ARE roses that are attractive AND grow well in Florida. I'm not very far from you so I know you can have the same results. I do wish I weren't so squeemish about grabbing bugs barehanded because I missed two grasshoppers tonight and a stink bug.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: Even the bad was pretty good

I've crushed stink bugs with bare hands (back when I was a teenager in the Philadelphia area and a different species than you're facing was eating on my columbines). That smell lingers on your fingers. Gloves is definitely a better way to go. :)