A common misconception has been quietly spreading online, and it deserves a clear, fact-based correction. A recent article described an insect issue using the word “bedbugs,” but the details provided did not match bedbugs at all. That distinction matters. Misidentifying insects can lead people to take the wrong precautions, waste time on ineffective fixes, and misunderstand what is actually happening in their homes.

Real bedbugs are a very specific pest with well-known habits. They are not outdoor insects, they are not seasonal garden visitors, and they do not casually wander indoors from plants, windows, or yards. When other insects are mistaken for bedbugs, people often panic—despite the fact that the real issue may be far less serious and much easier to address.

The insect described in the article was not a bedbug in any biological or behavioral sense. It was most likely a green stink bug from the Palomena group—an entirely different insect with different behavior, different risks, and different solutions. Confusing the two only spreads misinformation and creates unnecessary fear.

Bedbugs, scientifically called Cimex lectularius, have one main purpose: feeding on human blood. They are parasites, not general household insects. They do not eat plants, they do not live in soil, and they do not survive as outdoor garden pests. Their life cycle is tied to human environments, especially places where people sleep.

They hide in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, furniture seams, baseboards, and small cracks in walls. They avoid light and typically emerge when people are resting. If an insect is easily seen crawling on walls or sitting by windows during the day, it is almost certainly not a bedbug.

Bedbugs are also not green. They are small, flat, oval, and reddish-brown, often becoming darker and more swollen after feeding. Any description involving a green insect immediately rules out bedbugs. In many cases, color alone is the quickest clue that you are dealing with something else.

Another key difference is how bedbugs spread. They do not come in from gardens or outdoor plants. They are transported primarily through human activity—most often via luggage, used furniture, bedding, clothing, and shared living spaces. Hotels, public transportation, dormitories, and apartments with shared walls are common places where bedbugs can be picked up and carried into a home.

They are not drawn indoors by humidity, houseplants, or radiators. Warmth by itself does not pull them in from outside. They stay close to sleeping and resting areas because that is where their food source is. Without humans present, bedbugs cannot persist long-term.

This is where the mix-up becomes clear. The insect described in the article behaves in the opposite way. Green stink bugs are outdoor insects. They live on plants, feed on vegetation, and are commonly found in gardens, fields, and wooded areas. They have nothing to do with mattresses or blood.

Green stink bugs do sometimes enter homes seasonally, especially in the fall. As temperatures drop, they look for warmth and shelter. That is why people suddenly notice them indoors near windows, doors, and small gaps in walls. Their arrival can feel sudden and intrusive, but it is driven by weather changes—not by an indoor infestation.

They are attracted to warmth and light, which explains why they often collect near radiators, lamps, or sunny windows. Unlike bedbugs, they do not hide in beds or furniture for feeding, and they do not bite humans as a survival strategy. Their presence is unpleasant and inconvenient, but it is not parasitic.

Another major difference involves scent. Green stink bugs are often repelled by strong smells such as mint, lavender, vinegar, and eucalyptus, which can work as practical deterrents. Bedbugs, on the other hand, are not reliably repelled by typical household scents and usually require more intensive measures—often including professional treatment—to eliminate.

Labeling stink bugs as bedbugs escalates fear for no reason. Bedbugs carry stigma, are notoriously difficult to eliminate, and can lead to extensive cleaning, furniture disposal, and professional extermination. Stink bugs do not. They do not infest beds or clothing in the same way, and they typically do not reproduce indoors the way bedbugs do.

Correct identification changes the response entirely. If you are seeing green insects, finding them near windows, or noticing them mainly in the fall rather than year-round, you are not dealing with bedbugs. The practical steps involve sealing entry points, reducing indoor light attraction, and using appropriate repellents.

The correction is simple but essential: Palomena species are green stink bugs, not bedbugs. Their biology and behavior are different, and the right solutions are different as well. Calling them bedbugs is both scientifically incorrect and practically harmful.

Clear facts matter. Knowing which insect you’re dealing with determines whether you need calm prevention or serious intervention. In this case, it’s the difference between a seasonal nuisance and a true household parasite.