They remove plant sap with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. Soon after beginning to feed, they start laying eggs, primarily on the undersides in the angle between veins. The bronze eggs are football-shaped and lie on their sides in groups of 12 or more. Eggs hatch in one to two weeks. Initially the larvae are dark red with a light green abdomen.
Older nymphs are light gray in color with black legs.
Young nymphs are gregarious and feed together in groups. Nymphs require five to six weeks to mature into adults. Squash bugs spend most of their time around the base and stems of the plants and on the undersides of leaves. Management Timing is the key to successful squash bug control. Insecticide sprays should target adults and small nymphs early in the season when the plants are small.