Stink bug
Pentatomidae
2 host plants
Last updated
Brown marmorated stink bugs are shield-shaped, about three-quarters inch long, and mottled brown with alternating light and dark banding on antennae and leg edges. You may find them on flowering plum and other Prunus species in summer. They feed by piercing plant tissue with their straw-like mouthparts, causing stippling and wilting.
Stink bugs pose minimal threat to ornamental stone fruits. Hand-pick individuals and clusters of nymphs or adults from plants during the day. Remove plant debris near ornamentals to eliminate overwintering shelter. Do not use broad-spectrum pesticides unless populations are severe; selective management preserves beneficial insects and naturally occurring parasitoids.
Quick Reference
Adult stink bugs are all shield-shaped, with a triangle-shaped section in the middle of their backs. They are generally up to about 0.5 to 0.6 inch in length. The name stink bug refers to the strong odor the insects can emit if alarmed. The consperse and green stink bugs are native pests, and the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is an invasive pest that is an increasing problem in apples in some regions of the PNW. See: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: An Emerging Threat to Pacific Northwest...
Cultural Controls
- Egg parasitoids attack native stink bug eggs.
- Parasitic flies (Tachinidae) attack native stink bug nymphs and adults and lay eggs on them.
- The egg hatches and the fly larva then penetrates the host stink bug and consumes it from the inside.
- Native stink bug egg parasitoids and parasitic flies have little effect on BMSB, but an egg parasitoid called samurai wasp (Trissolcus japonicus) is now establishing across the PNW.
- Predators of different life stages include lacewings,...