Stink bugs, in one form or another, are pests on most agricultural products. They damage things as different as peaches, pecans, and cucumbers. Most of them bite or sting humans, too. Not nice bugs. Right now, the invasive brown marmorated stink bug is creating havok for commercial and home growers alike.
Damage They Do
The adults and babies are sap suckers, piercing the buds and young fruit or vegetables and leaving scars behind. Sometimes the damage is so severe the bud, fruit, or vegetable falls off the plant. Other times, it is not that severe but causes malformations. This makes the fruit or vegetable useless for market.
Description Of The Stink Bug
Stink bugs are true bugs, so look like they are wearing a suit of armour. There is a triangle just behind the head. Stink bugs come in many colors, depending on the species, but they all have six legs. The “stink” comes from glands on the bottom of the thorax and abdomen.
Lifecycle
Adults over winter in leaves and other debris, then lay eggs in the spring. These hatch into nymphs that go through several molts as they grow. Clearing debris from the area around your fruit trees and vegetable gardens is a good way to control these pests. If they have no place to over winter, you have fewer bugs.
Stink Bug Preditors
Parasitic wasps lay eggs on stinkbugs to feed their young. This control method is slow, though, and only works if you do not use pesticides that kill the wasps.
Chemical Control
Stink bugs are hard to kill with chemicals because of the way they are made. Chemical recommendations change, so you have to check with your Extension agent for the currently approved chemical to kill the bugs on their target plant.
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