Introduction
- Scientific name is: Halyomorpha halys
- Named for its defense mechanism of spraying an odorous liquid when threatened
- Originally from China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.
- Has become a season long pest in the United States as it invades homes and feeds on crops.
Identification
- Grow to a half inch in length
- Have a shield shaped body, and one pair of wings.
- Are various shades of brown in color
Mannerisms of Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs
- Eat crops such as peaches, apples, soybeans, green beans, cherries, raspberries, and pears.
- Feed by using a proboscis that can lead to the formation of necrotic areas, seed loss, leaf stippling, and the transmission of plant pathogens.
- Invade homes in the fall to survive the winter.
- Can live several months up to a year.
- Release a pungent odor that reportedly smells like coriander when threatened, injured, or handled.
- Males use pheromones and vibrational signals to communicate with a female.
- Females can lay up to four hundred eggs in their lifetime.
Prevention
- Sealing up any entryways like cracks around doors, vents, and crawlspaces.
- Liquid pest control products can be applied along the outside of homes. These may need to be reapplied at certain times.
- Vacuuming them and anywhere they may be hiding is also an effective means of stink bug pest control.
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