On a plant like cauliflower, a bronzing on the head results from feeding on many individual flower buds. The tarnished plant bug is an important example of this group that can be a pest of vegetables and small fruit. The back half of the front wing is membranous and held at a downward angle. The hind wing is membranous, and not visible unless the insect is flying, or you pull back the front wing. Plant bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts.
Compound eyes are normally large.
Black spots are visible on the back of older nymphs. Nymphs do not have wings. The tarnished plant bug is somewhat unique among plant bugs, in that it has an exceptionally wide host range. It has been recorded from 385 plants, including 130 economically important species. Its natural habitat is among species that are early colonizers, such as meadows and weedy patches that are let go to flower.