Frederick County Office
F
O
330 Montevue Lanne
F
Frederick,
Marylannd 21702
T 301-600-15944
TEL
F
FAX
301-600-15888
w
www.frederick.um
d.edu
Stinkbu
ug Exploosion
Lee Royeer, Fredericck County Master
M
Gard
dener
2
Brown Marmoratedd Stink Bug season officcially began on April 7 when
w
the firsst
The 2011
overw
wintered adu
ult stepped innto an experimental pherromone trap placed by reesearchers inn
a com
mmercial orcchard near Frrederick. Unnfortunatelyy it appears thhe harsh winnter followedd
by a wet
w spring did
d not damppen their spirrits.
yan R. Butlerr, Sr, a regioonal fruit eduucator workiing with the University
Accoording to Bry
of Maaryland Exteension, until the week off May 23 num
mbers were relatively loow. Howeveer
rd
sincee May 23 ad
dults have beeen swarminng into fieldss in significaant numbers.. While it
may be
b hard to beelieve, givenn the numberrs homeownners were plaagued with laast fall, moree
have been observ
ved entering fields and orchards from
m surroundinng natural locations suchh
as woooded areas rather than manmade
m
strructures.
Buyeers beware. Traps
T
used too lure BMSB
Bs for monitoring are still in the experimental
stagees because sp
pecific BMSB pheromonnes are in thee process of being isolateed and
studieed. The pub
blic should be
b aware trapps offered for sale at thiss time have not
n been
subjeected to rigorrous indepenndent scientiific tests.
Be caautious also of products claiming to control BMS
SB. Many products
p
are being testedd
but thhe magic bulllet does nott exist for eitther organic or non organnic growers this year.
Thesee facts will not
n stop the avalanche
a
off advertizingg, email offeers, and virall videos
produuced by thosse selling or in some casees, giving aw
way, all sortss of dubious stink bug
produucts and info
ormation. Use
U reputablee scientific reesources listeed below forr research.
Butleer reports dam
mage has beeen noted in strawberriess, raspberriess and cherriees. Already
damaage to peachees in some sections of sccientifically observed orrchards has been
b
as high
as 25% and in som
me sections of apples ass high as 15%
%. It is not known how
w this
comppares to last year
y becausee it was not until
u
later inn 2010 that Dr.
D Tracy Leskey of the
Appaalachian Fruiit Research Station
S
in Keearneysville made the diiscovery thatt BMSBs
were responsible for losses obbserved in a wide varietty of crops, trees,
t
and lanndscape
plantings.
s
part is yet to come, as these addults are now
w laying eggss that in two weeks time
The scary
will quickly
q
hatch
h into nymphhs which wiill immediateely begin feeeding on the same plantss
and soon
s
enough repeat the process
p
of layying eggs.
University of Maaryland Extension prograams are open to all citizeens without regard to racce, color, gender, disabillity, religion, age, sexuall orientation, marital or parental
p
status, or nationnal origin.
So what can you do? Now is the time to study the photos you see with this article so you
can destroy the eggs and nymphs which are more easily killed than the extremely hardy
and more mobile adults. Smash the egg masses and spray insecticidal soaps (homemade
or commercial) on the nymphs.
The female BMSB most often lays eggs in triangular groups of 20-30. Easily seen by the
naked eye, the eggs are spherical-shaped, not perfectly round, pale green to white and
may be found on the underside of leaves, pretty much any kind of leaf. Females lay eggs
about once a week and may be able to lay over 250 before seeking out shelter for the
winter hibernation.
Scientists have not been slacking when it comes to BMSB research. The BMSB
Integrated Pest Management Working Group lead by Tracy Leskey, Research
Entomologist at the US Department of Agriculture, WV and George Hamilton, Extension
Specialist in Pest Management, Department of Entomology Chair at Rutgers University,
New Brunswick, NJ began monitoring BMSB many weeks before the April 7 first
sighting. For more information on the members and goals of the working group, see
http://www.northeastipm.org/index.cfm/working-groups/bmsb-workinggroup/membership/
The University of Maryland is at the forefront of BMSB research. Find answers to
questions about BMSB and reputable links to more information at www.hgic.umd.edu
Invasive Species tab.
UM Extension Frederick County Master Gardeners will be planning seminars on BMSB
for late summer or early fall. To be notified of details on upcoming BMSB seminars or
answer local questions, contact us at stinkbugs@hiwaay.net
For more information about the Frederick County Master Gardener/Horticulture
Program, visit www.frederick.umd.edu/mg or call Susan Trice at the University of
Maryland Extension Frederick County office, (301) 600-1596. University of Maryland
Extension programs are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, gender,
disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or national origin.