A side view of the stinkbug on the maple sap. This particular species feeds on trees, but many, if not most, stinkbugs are predators on other insects, such as tent caterpillars and other 'pest' species. So they are a beneficial insect to have around. Even this species will also feed on insects part of the time. The damage they do to plants is minor compared to the good that stinkbugs do in helping control other often destructive insects.