In New South Wales the green vegetable bug (Nezara viridula) is mainly a pest of beans, tomatoes and lucerne seed crops and becomes most numerous during the months of February and March. Other crops may he attacked and these include cauliflowers, pumpkins, squashes, melons, potatoes, spinach, grapes, oranges, passionfruit, maize and various ornamental garden plants and weeds.

The bug overwinters in the adult stage and commences to lay eggs in compact rafts about the middle of September. Four generations may occur during the season until activity ceases about the end of April.. Each egg raft contains forty to eighty eggs and as many as four rafts may be laid by each female. Hatching occurs in five to eight days and the young bugs are vividly marked with red, green, yellow, orange and black. The young bugs grow and cast their skins five times before reaching the adult winged stage. The life cycle from egg to adult occupies from five to eight weeks.