Stink Bug vs Apple Maggot Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Stink Bug Apple Maggot Fly
Scientific Name Chinavia hilaris Rhagoletis pomonella
Order Hemiptera Diptera
Family Pentatomidae Tephritidae
Size 13-19 mm 4-6 mm
Habitat Farmland Orchards
Diet Fruit Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions North America Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Stink Bug

A bright green shield bug common across North America, formerly known as Acrosternum hilare. It has narrow orange-yellow borders along the body margins. It is a pest of soybeans, cotton, and various fruit crops.

💡

Did You Know?

It was recently reclassified from the genus Acrosternum to Chinavia based on molecular studies, causing much confusion among pest management professionals.

Apple Maggot Fly

A fruit fly pest whose larvae tunnel through apple flesh causing brown trails. It is a textbook example of sympatric speciation by host plant shifting.

💡

Did You Know?

It shifted from native hawthorn to introduced apple trees in under 200 years, creating genetically distinct races.