Injury is caused by both nymphs and adults sucking the sap from the leaves and stems of squash and pumpkin and related plants. The feeding causes wilting and, when severe, the leaves become black and crisp. It has a disagreeable odor when crushed. The brick-red eggs are laid in clusters in angles between veins on underside of leaves. A few hours after each molt, the red parts become black.
Older nymphs are a grayish white, with dark legs.
The squash bug attacks all vine crops, preferring squash and pumpkin then gourds and melons, but it also attacks cucumbers. Among the squashes, the winter varieties, such as hubbards and marrows, suffer most severely. In feeding, the squash bug apparently injects a toxic substance into the vines, causing a wilting known as Anasa wilt of cucurbits. It closely resembles bacterial wilt. After wilting, the vines turn black and crisp.