I lived in NZ for some years and the Shieldbugs - also known as Stinkbugs - there are an absolute menace to many plants, particularly Runner Beans. They attack the pods when they are a few inches long and suck them dry. I have seen few here since coming home and squash them between two leaves when I do. They are very prolific breeders, stink when squashed and - certainly in NZ - come in several colours which interbreed. They can be very pretty but are a real menace.
I've never noticed any damage from shield bugs, or even their smell, but I can confirm that they taste absolutely disgusting. One was sitting on a raspberry that I popped into my mouth last summer, nasty burning taste that stayed in the mouth for ages. The bug survived, I now look before I eat!
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