The brown marmorated stink bug made its stinky arrival by accident via a shipping cargo from Asia to Allentown, PA in the early 1990’s. These stinky pests have a shield shaped body that measure ½ to 1 inch long. They have glands on their abdomen that emit a horrendous odor when disturbed by predators or those who make the mistake of crossing their path by accident.
In 2008, there was not too much concern about the stink bugs consuming agricultural products. By 2010 the stinky pests had multiplied so quickly that they had caused $37 million in damage to apple crops alone. Stink bugs have now been reported in 36 different states from coast to coast. They do not fly well so it is believed that they hitched a ride from place to place.
Stink bug populations continued to rise from coast to coast in 2011. Entomologists are concerned about the voracious appetite of the brown marmorated stink bug because they have been known to feast on over 300 different species of vegetation, produce, and trees in the United States. Once largely ignored by the USDA, they are now in the crosshairs because of the realization that $21 billion worth of crops are at risk where the stink bugs are currently spotted en masse.
There are no natural predators of the brown marmorated stink bug in the United States, but spiders, praying mantis, and a few types of birds do find them to be a tasty treat. Researchers are studying tiny parasitic wasps that have been imported from Asia. These wasps lay eggs inside of the stink bug eggs, and then devour the stink bug eggs. We are still several years away from the USDA deeming the Asian parasitic wasps to be safe for release. Until then, if you have problems with the brown marmorated stink bug, you should contact a licensed pest control expert like Allison Pest Control.