Invasive Brown Marmorated
Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys)
Prepared by Dr. Chris Maier, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Selected Headlines
“Stink Bugs Taking Area Homes by Swarm”
“Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Runs Amok”
“Stink Bug Numbers Explode Along East Coast”
“Move Over Bedbugs: Stink Bugs Have Landed”
“Stink Bug Destroys Half of Pennsylvania’s Peach Crop”
“Invasive Species Brown Marmormated Stink Bug Threatens
U.S. Food Crops”
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Origin: Eastern Asia
Initial Detection: Pennsylvania in 2001, but
probably present since 1996
Distribution in U.S.: 33 states, including most
eastern states
Hosts: More than 70 plants in U.S., and 200300 worldwide
Stink Bugs: Pentatomidae
• Five-segmented antennae
• Forewings are hemelytra, with basal half
thickened and the apex membranous
• Piercing-sucking mouthparts
• When disturbed, release foul-smelling
substance from glands on the thorax
• Of the 55 species in Connecticut, 16 are
predators and 39 are herbivores
Life Stages
Development
2
3
4
5
♂
♀
Biological Characteristics and
Potential Problems
•
One generation per year
•
Feeding by adults concentrated in late Mayearly June and in August-September
•
Highly mobile adults
•
Potentially a serious pest of fruit, legume, nut,
and vegetable crops
•
Nuisance pest in dwellings as adults seek
overwintering sites in September and October
Aggregations in September-October
Distribution in the United States
Distribution in Connecticut Towns
Damage
Crops Damaged
Apple
Asian pear
Grape
Hazelnut
Nectarine
Peach
Pear
Pecan
Plum
Raspberry
Cucumber
Eggplant
Field corn
Green pepper
Okra
Pole bean
Soybean
String bean
Sunflower
Sweet corn
Tomato
Kinds of Fruit Damage
 Aborted young fruit
 Catfacing/deformation
 External feeding scars
 Internal brown coloration below
feeding sites
 Potential disease transmission
Apple Damage
Peach Injury
Corn Damage
Bean Damage
Tomato
Injury
Pepper
Damage
Soybean Injury
Nut Damage
Monitoring
Methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoate
Control

Insecticidal control
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Initial lab tests suggest that certain pyrethroids and neonicotinoids may
have the most promise
Disruptive to natural enemies, undermine IPM programs
Repeated use fosters outbreaks of secondary pests
In field, bugs knocked down by pyrethroids sometimes recovered (add
endosulfan?)
Very hazardous to bees

Biological control with parasitic
wasps, 3 species from Asia
(Trissolcus spp.)
Impact native pentatomids?

Cultural control
Diversionary or trap crop with
highly preferred host plants
Design a system minimal impact on
pollinators
Kim A. Hoelmer, USDA, Newark
BSBM at NE IPM Center
• BMSB Pest Alert
• Trapping Research Report
George Hamilton
• Working Group (68 members)
Leaders
Tracy Leskey – USDA ARS
George Hamilton – Rutgers
• Stink bug summits
June 2010
November 2010
Possible Insecticides for Stink Bugs
• Bifenture, Brigade, Fanfare (best in lab tests, registered for pears)
• Danitol (other stink bugs on label; <2 applications/year)
• Taiga Z, Warrior II, λ-Cyhalothrin (good in lab tests)
• Actara (good in lab tests, registered for stink bugs on peach)
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Aza-Direct, Azatin, and Neemix (frequent applications)
Avaunt (not registered for stink bugs)
Beleaf (not registered for stink bugs, but good on plant bugs)
Proaxis
Provado (suppression only)
Surround (frequent applications)
Thionex (mainly on stone fruits for catfacing insects)
What Next?