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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Brown marmorated stink bug

This morning I'm kicking myself for not taking a closer look at the stink bug I scooped off my floor last night! Chances are, it was a brown marmorated stink bug, an invasive insect native to Asia (China & Japan). Brown marmorated stink bugs (Halyomorpha halys) are potential crop pests of fruits (grapes, caneberries, and peaches are the most likely hosts here), but have not been numerous in NC in recent years. Their feeding behavior and potential damage are the same as many native stink bugs, such as the brown, green, and southern green stink bugs, so changes in management practices will likely not be needed.

Where the brown marmorated stink bug has become a more serious concern is in the home. Much like their fellow Asian import, the multicolored Asian lady beetle, the brown marmorated stink bug aggregates in structures during the fall and winter and can be a nuisance pest. NCSU entomologists Stephen Bambara, Mike Waldvogel & Steven Frank have compiled information about the brown marmorated stink bug in NC, which can be found here.

A group at Rutgers has put together a really entertaining video highlighting this concern--it's worth a look:

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