Stink Bugs Are Not Welcome In New Jersey Part I Of II

It’s definitely not hot and humid outside, and you can tell that some of the summer bugs are not quite as annoying as they were just a few short weeks ago.  But one annoying pest has ramped up its annoying behavior for many New Jersey residents.  The stink bug is stinking up the joint!

While visiting a friend the other day, we decided to enjoy the cooler afternoon temperatures as we sat out on her NJ deck.  It’s not an exaggeration when I tell you that there were well over 100 stink bugs, climbing the screens, walking the deck railing, crawling on the siding, hanging from the gutter, and flying into our heads.  There we sat, knowing that these shield-shaped bugs were ready to emit their nauseating odor if we dared shoo them away.

Stink bugs have had a grip on New Jersey as well as many other states the past few years.  These crop damaging pests have been munching away on summertime treats like tomatoes, peppers, corn, peaches, and beans.  In Kentucky, soybean fields are so infested and damaged by stink bugs that entomologists are warning farmers to expect smaller crops this year.  Stink bugs have a straw-like mouthpart that will suck out the juices from soft fruits and vegetables.  Tomatoes and peppers that are attacked by stink bugs are left with hard spots on the fruit while corn and peach crops have been demolished by these stinky pests.  Stink bugs not only devastate crops, they will also damage many other types of plants that you typically find around New Jersey homes and businesses.

Stink bugs were not always a problem for New Jersey residents.  They were transported here by accident via packing material from their homelands of China, Korea, and Japan.  These gray shield shaped bugs arrived in the US about 15 years ago.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion.