When people find out that I'm interested in farm insects, they immediately begin describing some sort of pest that is damaging their crops. I try to help them identify the insect, but many look very similar to others. One example is the squash bug (Anasa tristis) and the spined soldier bug (Podisus maculiventris). These two are closely related and at first glance can be mistaken for each other, but one causes extreme damage and the other is a very good beneficial to have around. Both of these insects are true bugs, which means they use their piercing, sucking mouthparts to feed on their food of choice. The squash bugs choose to feed on plant juices; they stick their straw-like mouthparts into your Cucurbit vines and leaves and suck out all the good stuff. This obviously can be very damaging to your precious summer crops, and can leave them wilting, yellowing, and dying. The insects also can harvor a bacteria and pass it along to your plants, but that is a topic for another day! The spined soldier bug, on the other hand, prefers to feed on other insects that may be destroying your crops, for example the larvae of the cabbage looper, colorado potato beetle, mexican bean beetle, flea beetle, and corn earworm among others.
So, how to tell the difference between these insects? Noticeable traits of the squash bug involve a black diamond on its back where its wings overlap, a more narrow body shape, and yellowish/black stripes along the side of the body. Spined soldier bugs have broad shoulders with noticeable spines and a dark spot where their wings meet on its lower abdomen.
Squash bug laying eggs
Spined soldier bug with its lunch, a caterpillar
Next time you are squishing squash bugs, keep a close eye on the bugs to make sure you aren't getting rid of this handy bug, the spined soldier bug.
Source: http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/podisus_maculiventris.htm
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