Most plant bugs are considered aesthetic nuisance pests since they rarely kill their host plants. However, leaf and flower distortion can be very severe and can greatly reduce the aesthetic value of landscape plants. Plant bugs  insert their mouth stylets into host plant tissues and inject a tissue dissolving saliva. They then suck out the liquefied plant tissues, much like other bugs suck the insides from their insect prey.

This produces a typical sunken lesion which can be circular or angular, depending on the host plant leaf structure. Feeding on immature leaves can cause considerable leaf distortion - cupping, twisting and crumpling. Occasionally, the lesion spots dry and fall out, producing small holes in leaves.

Plant bugs and stink bugs  that feed on peaches and other fruits early in the growing season cause a gnarling and distortion of the fruits called catfacing.

Plant bugs and stink bugs, therefore commonly called catfacing insects, are largely responsible for this type of injury. They suck the sap from the fruit. If the peaches do not fall as a result of the attack, fruit development is inhibited in the area of the punctures. The surrounding healthy tissue continues to grow thereby causing a defect resembling a cat's face.