Do It Yourself Stink Bug Trap

Video of a easy to make, do it yourself stink bug trap for under $10.

Stink Bugs Expected to Invade Homes As Cooler Weather Approaches

As the season begins to change and cooler weather approaches, stink bugs are starting to leave the garden and seek warmth and shelter indoors. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA)encourages homeowners to take proactive steps to prevent a stink bug infestation in and around the home this fall.
Since arriving from Asia, brown marmorated stink bugs have become a nuisance for homeowners in the Eastern United States. The species can be found from South Carolina to New Hampshire and west to Indiana, as well as in California and Oregon. Notorious for their “smelly” reputation, stink bugs secrete a bad-smelling, bad-tasting fluid when disturbed or when crushed. They are not known to bite humans but caution should be used when handling them to avoid a release of their odor.
“Homeowners should expect to see an increase in stink bugs in the coming weeks as they begin to take flight in search of overwintering sites,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA. “Although these pests do not pose any serious health or property threats, their tendency to seek food, water and shelter in homes during the colder months can be a nuisance.”
NPMA offers the following stink bug prevention tips:
- Seal and caulk cracks around windows, doors, siding, utility pipes, behind chimneys and underneath the wood fascia and other openings.
- Repair or replace damaged screens on windows or doors.
- Keep outdoor lighting to a minimum as stink bugs are attracted to lights.
- If stink bugs have already entered a home, use a vacuum cleaner for their removal and dispose of the bag immediately to prevent odor from permeating the area.
- If an infestation has developed, a licensed pest professional should be contacted to evaluate and assess the severity problem.
For more information on stink bugs or to find a pest professional, visit www.pestworld.org

How to Control the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Presently, there are no viable strategies for control of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. The use of insecticides has very short-lived effect and there is evidence of resistance development. Even where insecticide is effective, repopulation occurs through migration from non-treated areas. In addition, on-farm insecticide use is not ideal due to disruption of integrated pest management programs.

Homeowners

Do your best to prevent them from entering your home. Placement of screens over windows, doors and vents, removal of window air conditioners and caulking cracks in windows and doorframes will deter the adults from entering. Removal of window air conditioners is important, as numerous BMSB will enter this way. If small numbers occur indoors, they can be removed either by hand or by using a shop-vacuum.
If large numbers are observed or have been observed in previous years, you may wish to contact your local pest control company who can do a perimeter pesticide spray. This must be done at the appropriate time (when the insects first appear) and control may be difficult to achieve. It is important to consider the effects of pesticides in your home before any pesticide applications occur.

Farmers

How to protect your crops:

• Stay informed through Rutgers NJAES as management strategies are developed.
• Brown Marmorated Stink Bug IPM Working Group: Additional Resources
• See the Growing Produce publication of the Agricultural Research Service Action Plan. Some objectives for the short term are quoted below.

"Define a rational chemically based management strategy first as an immediate emergency stop-gap rescue strategy, and second as part of a sustainable pest management plan. At the present time, growers are applying pesticides belonging to one or two chemical classes, namely the pyrethroids and carbamates, in an attempt to save their crops. Chemical control is not considered desirable over the long-term, due to expected crop resistance to these chemicals and disruptions to integrated pest management (IPM) programs, but will play an immediate role in salvaging crop production and a limited, ongoing role in more sustainable management programs. Accordingly, researchers will seek to define an appropriate short-term chemical control strategy for the 2011 season as researchers carry out the medium- and long-term research needed to develop a more sustainable approach."

Contributing Locations: ARS-Kearneysville; PSU; Rutgers; Virginia Tech; and UMD