There are a couple of bugs that are prevalent again this Fall and they will be looking for a nice warm, dry place to spend the winter. One of them is the Brown Mamorated Stink Bug (BMSB). This bug looks really fierce and smells even worse when disturbed or squashed. These bugs are dark brown to gray and about ¾” long.
There is no effective insecticide to control this critter and they can be very devastating to some ag crops, like soybeans and corn, that are grown in huge numbers in this area. In addition they are known to feed on fruit trees. USDA is interested in finding out why some of us will see 100’s if not 1,000’s of these critters in our yard or neighborhood while others may not see many at all. Here is an excellent website for short video and more information. http://www.stopbmsb.org/video If you find that you have massive amounts of BMSB (it is not an insect) in your area you may want to be ready to participate in one of the surveys. We have a native stink bug to the USA but this relative from Asia is a real “stinker”. This one has been in the states for about 16 years arriving from Asia to Allentown, PA. From the original introduction, the pest has now spread in 13 years to 41 states and Canada. These bugs, when they first hatch from their eggs, look similar to a ladybug but with a softer covering on their bodies and slightly more yellow. Stink bugs will eat almost anything. They attack more than 170 different plant species, and prefers to eat many of the same foods as humans, especially beans, garden vegetables, and tree fruit. It is a threat to commercial agriculture, landscape ornamentals, and backyard gardens.
They will enter your home for winter shelter through a crevice as small as 1/6”. So get the caulk gun out and check around window and door frames for small cracks that may allow this bug to enter your home and/or allow the cold to penetrate, too. If you get a few of these critters in your home you might be tempted to use your vacuum cleaner to suck them up but think again, your vacuum may stink for a while after the bugs are gone.
One of the best ways to control stink bugs is to eliminate all cracks where they can enter your attic or around windows and doors. Sticky traps are fairly effective once they enter the house. They do not bite, multiply or harm anything indoors so the traps might be the answer if you see them indoors. Eliminate as many as possible to reduce populations next year. At this time there are no insecticides for control that will not cause harm to the environment.
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Meadow View Growers
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