Two season-long surveys of 10 fields each in 5 major North Carolina cotton-growing counties showed the green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say), to be the predominate phytophagous stink bug species present followed by the brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say). Large cage field studies of adult green stink bugs on cotton showed that these stink bugs can severely damage cotton. Significant relationships were found between treatment (time exposed to stink bugs) and puncture number and number of harvestable looks. This decrease in harvestable locks resulted In an average yield loss of 25% in the shortest (3 bugs/plant for 6 days) exposure and an average yield lose of 60% in the longest exposure (3 bugs/plant for 24 days). A damage comparison test in the greenhouse using individual boll cages demonstrated that 3rd-5th instar green stink bug nymphs and brown stink bug adults also significantly reduce the number of harvestable looks.