As a generalist predator of many agricultural pests, P. maculiventris is generally considered a beneficial insect in gardens and crop fields.

A distinguishing feature is the presence of a black streak on the wing membrane, along with spined humeri, which serve as key diagnostic characteristics.

In the 5th and final instar, the wing pads become prominent, the head and thorax appear mottled with brown, and the abdominal markings transition to white or tan with black.

[5][6] Studies on Podisus maculiventris have shown that the time it takes to develop from egg to adult varies depending on temperature and daylight conditions, typically ranging from 27 to 38 days.

In warmer regions like Florida, these bugs remain active year-round, though in northern areas, they usually go through two to three generations per year and hibernate as adults from October to April.

Where winters are cold, adults overwinter in protected places, such as crevices of bark and in organic litter or other debris on the ground.

[5] This bug is commonly found in various crops, such as alfalfa, apples, beans, celery, cotton, cucumbers, eggplant, onions, potatoes, soybeans, and tomatoes.

However, large-scale field use is often impractical due to the cost of mass production, and wild populations are usually not large enough to fully control pest outbreaks in the spring.

While the species is sold commercially to control Mexican bean beetles, its effectiveness against this pest has yet to be confirmed in large-scale trials.

Additionally, pyriproxyfen and imidacloprid have been found to cause significant mortality in spined soldier bug populations, regardless of how exposure occurs.