Damage is caused by the mouth parts of adults or nymphs piercing developing pods. Pods may abort; seeds can be shriveled, flattened or only slightly reduced in size, depending on when the damage occurred. Germination is also reduced. Damage often goes unnoticed until harvest. Infestations are heaviest along field borders.

Stink bugs occur throughout the soybean producing states, but are most abundant in the southern Coastal Plain.