Stink bugs!!!

[sunflower13]

My community garden is infested with stink bugs . So sad! So far my tomatoes only have minimal yellow spots and they still taste better than store bought. Except for my yellow cherries. They seemed to love those. I am dumping them in a bucket with soapy water and hoping for the best. Anyone else suffering from stink bugs?

[applestar]

They are late this year but I'm starting to see them and find eggs and nymphs.

Sometimes I don't see them but smell them from disturbing or even accidentally squishing them when I pick beans. ( Found an egg cluster under a bean leaf this morning )

Some of my tomatoes are showing the spotted skin and the sucked dry subcutaneous spots but so far not too bad.

My cucumbers were on their way out after a massive harvest already so I'm not too disappointed, but some of the vines are wilting and collapsing and I think it's the stinkbugs bringing some disease.

Hopefully the birds hunting in the garden like stinkbugs.

[sunflower13]

They eat everything, don't they? I haven't seen them near my cucurbits yet but I am worried about my squashes and cucumbers. Do I need to ripen my winter squashes inside? I didn't even think about those plants! I haven't found any eggs yet but this is my first year really dealing with them to this degree. Do you still eat your tomatoes too? My damage is pretty minimal like yours. I am going to look for eggs next. Sorry about your cucumbers but glad you got a nice harvest before these pests did . Boy they are a major pain in the butt!

[catgrass]

Stink bugs have been horrific here in the deep south this year. I had 3 tomato plants loaded with tomatoes, and got only about 10 edible tomatoes off them-Stink bugs got the rest. I have used a soap/garlic spray with some success, but I think I just have clean stink bugs now. It does slow them down so you can pick them off. I finally just got a rag and mash them when I can. Now they've moved onto my pepper plants and in the flowers,too.

[rainbowgardener]

Stink bugs are a difficult pest to deal with and probably takes a combination of methods: As always, you want to be growing plenty of flowers that attract beneficial insects. Ladybugs, lacewings, and minute pirate bugs will eat the eggs, and praying mantis can eat the adults. There are also some parasitic flies and wasps that attack them. Keep feeders and bird baths for the birds - birds, spiders, toads will eat them. Mustard, okra, and amaranth are reputed to be trap crops for them. If they congregate there, you can pop plant and all into a plastic bag and dispose. Vaccuuming up bugs is getting to be a favorite for me, seems like minimal environmental effects. Squash bugs and stink bugs should also be susceptible to Neem oil and to diatomaceous earth.

Spraying (anything) isn't real effective against them. They can readily fly away and they are pretty protected in their shells. I have sprayed garlic pepper spray directly on them and it didn't seem to bother them.

When we had some in the house over the winter, I made a stink bug trap. Shine a light (preferably high intensity) directly over a glass bowl full of soapy water. At night they are attracted to the light. The glowing bowl draws them to their death by drowning. It seems like it should work outdoors as well, if you have electricity in your garden, to plug a light in.

I hadn't seen them much this season, but I am starting to see small ones around. I will have to check my amaranth, I have a couple huge thriving plants of it.

[sunflower13]

rainbowgardener, That light trap sounds great! They really love a horseradish plant so I cut some of it down just so I could spot them easier and I am checking it every time I am there and dump them in soapy water in a bucket. I think this is the first year this invader has hit our town. Last year, Oregon got them for the first time. I have seen their numbers drop lately since I started killing them. My tomatoes have minimal damage and are still edible but it is a huge uphill battle. The one good thing I have seen so far is tons of lady bugs. I have not found any eggs and the lady bugs are always in the horseradish plant with the stink bugs among other areas. I have been checking for eggs constantly. I hope they don't start invading houses here . I feel for anyone who has these pests inside their home! I have some bird action I think when I am not there because I found bird poo on a leaf so I am hopeful they are helping me too.

[meshmouse]

I don't think we have stink bugs yet, but probably will soon.

Can anyone describe the 'stink'?

Thanks

[skiingjeff]

Found a couple of these guys in the garden. Checked the bug guide but didn't find them. Any ideas?

Thanks!

[applestar]

I think it's a juvenile green shield bug (related to stinkbugs). I saw one on my raspberry today -- it was on a blossom cluster

You want to look at it's mouthparts and if it has a thin proboscis it's a plant juice sucker and if it has a thicker lance, then it's a predator like assassin bug. --- you should see me catching ones that I'm not sure of, turning them over to verify it's proboscis, then quick dropping 'em and stomping on them.

[sunflower13]

I don't think we have stink bugs yet, but probably will soon.

Can anyone describe the 'stink'?

Thanks

When I first killed one, I thought it didn't stink that bad but if you kill a bunch, they start to smell terrible. I am trying to think of what the smell is like. Hard to describe. It kind of smells like herbs but with a sour smell. Starts to really annoy me. Yuck! I stopped smashing them and used a bucket. The smell isn't really a problem this way.

[skiingjeff]

Thanks so much for the tips! We'll be out there turning over all these bugs to check out their mouths! I hate that every new bug I find seems to be something bad!

I did see some lady beetles though, so all's good in the end

[applestar]

I merged skiingjeff's thread with this one and moved this thread to Organic Insect and Plant Disease Control forum so I could add this link...

[PDF]Field Guide to Stink Bugs - Virginia Tech
https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/444/444-356/444-356_pdf.pdf

[applestar]

The stink is distinctive. I originally thought they smelled like cucumbers until I realized I associated their smell with cucumbers because there are always stinkbugs in the cucumber foliage.

Olfactory memory is sometimes weird and messed up. In fact during the winter when I open the blinds or something and accidentally disturb the BMSB (Brown Marmorated Stinkbugs) that snuck in to hibernate around the windows, I think "Huh I smell cucumbers...."

[Lindsaylew82]

I think they smell like cucumbers too. They have a smell somewhere between a cucumber and a sickly sweet soap.

I definitely think cucumber is pretty spot on.

I think squash bugs, and kudzu bugs smell the same or similar.

[Lindsaylew82]

Lowes had a small shop vac on sale this week....

It was really small. small enough to carry around in the garden easily.....

I need to go get that!

[rainbowgardener]

Good idea! I need to look for something like that or one of those dirt devil kind of hand helds. I think they are becoming an essential garden tool.

PS somehow I missed on the previous page where applestar posted the field guide link. Very interesting! who knew there were so many kinds!? Of course I don't think I have ever seen any of the beneficial ones.

I used to be a big time insect- and arachno- phobe. Over the years of gardening, I have trained myself out of a lot of that. But picking a stink bug up and turning it over and looking closely to see the difference between a proboscis the width of an antenna and one that is twice that, is way beyond me. I have enough trouble dumping out the water with drowned stinkbugs in it!

Because I believe in a healthy ecosystem and I don't like killing things, I don't do much killing insects (either directly or with poisons). That doesn't mean I'm going to get all up close and personal with them or make pets of them!

[skiingjeff]

Just read and saved the IPM! Thanks Applestar

[skiingjeff]

Posted twice somehow

[Gary350]

I have always seen stink bugs in my garden but never is large quantities. They don't seem to be much of a problem maybe birds eat them. I put up a lot of bird houses so maybe that helps. Stink bugs are good to keep dogs out of the garden, the smell of stink bugs can kill a dog. There are many different kinds of stink bugs, size, shape, colors, I have no clue what the difference is.

[imafan26]

I had stink bugs earlier in the year but hardly any now. Maybe they are gearing up for a return.

[rainbowgardener]

" the smell of stink bugs can kill a dog."

NOT! Don't go scaring people! Many dogs and cats eat stinkbugs. I don't know why, since they are reputed to taste as bad as they smell, but it is just the thrill of the hunt. Anyway eating the stinkbug may or may not make the dog throw up, but either way the dog will be all right. And if eating it doesn't kill them, smelling it certainly won't, though it may keep them away - or may not. Dogs are pretty dumb about that kind of thing. My friend's dog has been sprayed by skunks on three separate occasions and still doesn't stay away from them.

[Lindsaylew82]

I have a real healthy population of stink bugs...

I also have a real healthy population of unkempt dogs.

I drown my stink bugs, knock them on the ground and stomp them, crush them mid plant....what am I getting at...? There's a lot of stink bug residue in my garden, and if doesn't deter the wild beasts at all.

[meshmouse]

First off, thanks for all the descriptions of the stink. Cucumbers, sickeningly sweet soap. Hmmm, doesn't sound so bad but I'm sure they're called Stink bugs for a reason. Some input from other sources described it as 'marijuana' 'herb' and 'bad oil' like. I'm sure that if I ever smell one, I'll have a clue.

rbg - with all due respect (of which I have much for your input) I need to question the 'dogs can be dumb' remark. I think they just don't have the same aversions to smells as we do. How else to explain the 'death roll' as they drop a shoulder and roll around on a dead bird, fish or squirrel to perfume themselves. Mmmm, covered in all that rotten goodness. Ready for date night. And to think their ability to smell is many times more sensitive than ours.

I take it back, I think you might be right.

[Juliuskitty]

I merged skiingjeff's thread with this one and moved this thread to Organic Insect and Plant Disease Control forum so I could add this link...

[PDF]Field Guide to Stink Bugs - Virginia Tech
https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/444/444-356/444-356_pdf.pdf

This PDF is so good. Thank you, saved to favorites.

[sunflower13]

Ha! I have won the battle of the stink bug (well, for now anyway). First time ever, since their invasion, I went to the garden with my bucket, water and soap and found no stink bugs. I am so happy. I will be vigilant in looking for them every time I am there. The stink bugs in my garden have loved the horseradish plant since I have first found them and made it their buffet and refuge. I believe they smell like whatever they eat. That might be why mine have an herbal scent with a nasty twist. Got to add the green tomatoes and vines they have been eating too. Gross!

[applestar]

My garden has seen diminishing number of stinkbugs over the last decade or so, after we had that explosion of Brown Marmorated Stinkbugs (BMSB) and subsequent few years dealing with them getting inside the house over the winter and finding dozens and dozens.

I looked around and discovered that
(1) Native natural predatory wasp has been found to have developed taste for them at least in the lab — the photos look remarkably similar to a giant ant-like dark-winged with yellow legged fliers that I often see around the garden — I even saw one in my hoophouse the other day (and left it alone)
(2) A non-native species of predatory wasp was discovered in NJ in 2014 that apparently was imported along with the BMSB — smaller than a sesame seed, it has been dubbed “samurai wasp”. Presumably, it has spread to my area.

I don’t know if this explains the smaller numbers of Squash stinkbugs and Leaffooted stinkbugs I’ve been wondering about this year (although I might have jinxed it and will now start seeing loads )

I had proposed that it’s because we haven’t had as many tropical storms and hurricanes blow through this area — which I feel tends to be a precursor to hot weather pest invasion.

In fact, I’m not seeing many cucumber beetles or Japanese beetles either. With Japanese beetles, I had an explosion of them a while back, and after learning that specific non-native predatory wasp species had been released in NJ back in the 1930’s or so? and they are attracted to umbelliferous flowers, I’ve been making sure to allow overwintered celery and carrots, parsley etc. go to seed, in addition to my wildflower garden of Golden Alexander’s. You want to attract them both in spring and in fall as there are two different species.

…Hmm have not seen tortoise beetles, too…

…I tend to think this kind of beneficial Garden Patrol response is normal in my non-chem minimal -cide garden. But I wonder if not seeing many ladybugs (beetles) this year is related too? (I did see two on the corn this morning so they ARE working on handling the aphids. Not worried since other aphid eaters like hover flies and green lacewings, and aphid mummy makers are around, too.)

Hope your stinkbug population will see similar diminishing events.

[digitS']

I think that there may be inevitable variance of insect populations through time. Weather changes and host plant availability make for different conditions and opportunities. Of course, some of these things may be "beneath the radar" for individuals. Along with that is something that I notice with myself: if there are LOTS of these critters for a few years in a row, my expectation is that it is always so. But, if I hang around , I begin to notice differences through time.

Your green lacewings were once such a "bother" when I came in the backdoor during hours of darkness with the light on right beside the door. Early on, I had no idea what they were and simply thought of them as a bother. Finally curious, I looked for some information and learned that they are a gardener's friend. Over the last few years, there have been few. This year, I noticed more early in the season. Will that mean that there will be higher numbers next year? It might.

There were several acres of alfalfa during the early years at my distant garden. Spittle bug population would vary and I could easily see them as I walked nearby. They would also invade my garden plants! The alfalfa has been gone for several years and I seldom see a spittle bug -- not one in 2023.

Stink bugs and cucumber beetles are on my cucurbit vines, at times in somewhat high numbers. I haven't seen more than just a few stink bugs this year. I should have had some way to deal with potato bugs one year and, essentially, lost all of my eggplants to them. Spinosad was on hand the next year and continues to be used for beetles in my garden. This year, I sprayed the cabbage, broccoli, and peas once during the early weeks when leaf hoppers moved in on them. Those pests did some real damage in 2022 but that one spraying allowed the vulnerable young plants a better start and I haven't needed to bother with that organic insecticide since.

Beneficial insects? I have learned to appreciate the yellowjacket wasps. They are serious predators of both aphids and cabbage loopers. I can hardly contend with the cabbage loopers and aphids once they are inside the leaves of the cabbage. Insecticidal soap works fairly well if I find them early enough. I could be wrong but I don't think that the soap is much danger to the wasps on the wing. I hope not and all I need to do with them out there in good numbers is to be careful while moving around.

Steve

[applestar]

I’m with you that yellow jackets are beneficial in spring while they are feeding babies, although I find paper wasps as little bit more reasonable and polite.

It’s when they decide to nest close enough to our activity areas that their mean streak in late summer becomes a problem.

They’re welcome to visit but not hang out and go having temper tantrums and stinging people when we’re minding our own business.

[imafan26]

Good information. I had stink bugs attacking tomatoes last year and I did see some on the cucurbits, but they did not harm them. I bag most of my larger tomatoes, cucumbers, and I am probably going to have to bag some other things. I remember the stink bugs were very fond of okra too. they don't seen interested in the grape tomatoes. I haven't seen many this year. I do have geckos and they are good at catching insects. I saw a huge bright green anole today. That is good and bad news. Anoles do eat bugs too but they will eat the smaller geckos too. They are an invasive species here, but are all over the place. I was trying to get more information on how to control stink bugs, but most information is how to control them in the house. The soap water and light trick is the most common but they said it works best in the Spring. Kaolin clay is also supposed to help. Last year, I only saw a few so I just caught them and disposed of them.

[digitS']

AppleStar said: I find paper wasps as little bit more reasonable and polite

You might be right about the "yellowjackets," although I read that they are related. Other than accidentally squeezing a bumblebee, the only other stings I have had in sorta recent years were ones I had on both arms when I fell in the brush, obviously right over a ground nest. And, I don't tolerate the paper wasps moving into the greenhouse during the Summer.

Some beneficial bugs that I am seeing in good numbers in '23 are here at home: Under almost every rock is a predatory beetle.

Steve