The nymphal stage requires about 33 days for complete development. The nymph is about 2.5 mm in length when it hatches, and light green in color. The second instar is initially about 3 mm long, and its color is light gray. The youngest nymphs are rather hairy, but this decreases with each subsequent molt. In contrast, the thorax and wing pads are barely noticeable at hatch, but get more pronounced with each molt.
Young nymphs are strongly gregarious, a behavior that dissipates slightly as the nymphs mature.
The adult measures 1.4 to 1.6 cm in length and is dark grayish brown in color. In many cases the edge of the abdomen is marked with alternating gold and brown. Adults are long-lived, surviving an average of about 75 to 130 days, depending on availability and quality of food cluster of eggs adults and nymphs Damage The squash bug causes severe damage to cucurbits because it secrets highly toxic saliva into the plant. The foliage is the primary site of feeding but the fruit is also fed upon. Often an entire plant or section of plant perishes while nearby plants remain healthy.