Asian stink bugs continued

Evidently a professor in York, PA puts his in to a freezer, too.

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/ci_17461047?source=most_viewed

Thanks Judy - interesting reading. Dang, I hate those critters. To me the only good stink bug is a dead one. I don't even particularly like finding dead ones either.

I was given a tad bit of hope by hearing that they are not feeding during the winter and that flying will use all their energy and thus they die. We are down to seeing only about one every couple of days now. Most of the ones we are finding are feeding on my houseplants though now that I think about it.

Let's hope that the deterrants that are being discussed will make the market place before 2013 like the articles project. Darn critters!!!

Ruby

was lurking around dg today and ran across this interesting thread. i don't have these particular bugs as of yet but i do have other stink bugs, some good and some bad. i'll pass along my secret weapon (as i've probably done on countless other threads) for those who may not know about it.

first, let me say a few good things about Spinosad. i love it and use it for several difficult pests, including any kind of un-welcomed caterpillar, worm and grasshopper. i often use it in place of Bt (which works pretty much the same, just not on the variety of pests). i buy mine under the brand name of Ferti-lome Bagworm, Leafminer Spray. the active ingredient is Spinosad and is a cost effective way to buy. i get mine at Ace Hardware. it is not pre-mixed so a bottle goes a long way when mixed with water.

as for any kind of stink bug, beetle or weevil problem, what i have found works best and most quickly is Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap mixed with water. it is totally organic in the sense that it will not harm people or pets. it is a soap made for bathing and shampooing. it will kill whatever bug it comes in contact with so do not spray on bees. it actually has a smothering effect though it is not oily to the touch. i spot spray when i see a bad bug but i have also used it in my pump sprayer to spray the entire garden in the evening when bees are not present. i keep a hand spray bottle inside for the occasional spider or other bug that i can't catch and release outside.

there is no residue left over to "keep on killing" so it does require renewed efforts throughout the growing season.

Thanks Tracks. All very interesting and I believe that I will mention the spinosad to John to possibly use on the vegetable garden. According to the reports from the researchers working on something to eradicate these pests, so far they haven't found anything to be effective. Maybe you are on to something and this will be what helps those of us who will certainly be dealing with them again as the weather warms.

Ruby

Another chance to learn more about those hateful stink bugs. I found another one less than an hour ago.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Wednesday, April 20, 7:00– 9:00 p.m. at Ida Lee Recreation Center in Leesburg, VA. Join us at this free Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy program given by Dr. Tracy Leskey, entomologist at the USDA Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, WV. Dr. Leskey and her colleagues are in the forefront of research into the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. She also co-chairs a special USDA working group composed of farmers and agriculturalists that is trying to find ways to respond to the serious economic and environmental problems this insect poses. Questions: contact Laura McGranaghan at lmcgranaghan@loudounwildlife.org.

here is an article from our local paper
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2011/03/06-45/This-stinks-Experts-expect-stink-bug-population-to-explode-this-year.html?ne=1

How is everyone doing? Wonder if Dr, Leskey will have some new news on control of these pests especially for our veggie, fruit and crop growers. Going to take a good look at my broad leafevergreens for any egg masses before other leaves are out and ready as hatcheries for the over wintering adults.

Just a reminder that I'm not seeing in most articles: If you catch stink bugs, or vacuum them up please make sure that your method of disposal doesn't allow them to escape and populate our landfills! Thanks.

This is what the egg masses look like

We have been finding some swarming on warm days. There were a ton of them between the window and screen one day. Ric vac them up then another large group of them in the garage behind my potting trays. We vac them too.

Again I enjoyed the articles and hints and tips for dealing with these boogers. I am going to try some of the ideas I read such as a squirt bottle with alcohol and the container of soap suds to drown them. There have been very, very few days this past winter that we didn't see at least one of these suckers. I have been flushing them after learning that just putting them back outdoors wasn't doing anything to help the problem but really hate using the extra water. I can set up a bottle or container to keep indoors to trap them and rid of it later.

I am going to also set about making at least one of the cardboard traps that the New Jersey gentleman says has worked for him. Today it is really warm here. I actually turned on the air conditioner. My screen porch has several of the stink bugs sitting on the screen. Yuck!!!

Ruby

I figure pouring a little kerosene in the vac bag and burning it should ensue the demise of these pest. :-) LOL Ric
I also use a small piece of corn cob to plug the hose between uses to insure their attendence for the BBQ.

Thanks for sharing Ric, good laugh to start my day.

Ruby

Cheap easy trap you make yourself

http://www.wjactv.com/video/28028425/index.html

Fantastic !!!

You could use the second, catcher, in the garden too.

Thanks Jen!

Thanks Jen! I'll be making some of those for sure. I'm also planning to make some for outside using $3 solar lights just by fitting the post straight through a hole in the bottom. Ric

Ric- great idea! Those cheapie solar lights on a small stake. That would be super easy.

Amazing Jen.....thank you so very much. So far, thankfully there hasn't been the infestation that we experienced last year. They might all still be on vacation in our attic. hahaha Definitely going to give this a try soon.

Ruby

Just bumping this up. Have seen far fewer this Spring than last. Is it because I have so diligently eliminated any breeding adult I have come across?

How is everyone else doing with these stinkers?

We have had fewer than last year, too.

Rare this year. Some say they got drowned or blown away in last years torrents.

I can count about 6---all I have seen in the house since last summer.

Of course--I have not looked behind my hung pictures...

last one I saw was in my shed last week. took down a coiled up soaker hose--
and it fell out from it--somewhere...
I stepped on it--and paid the price in the odor category....

Gita

Definitely not seeing what we have seen in years past, but they are still here. The worst was a day a few weeks back when getting some stacked window boxes out of storage and separating them and finding masses between the boxes. I went nuts as always. One of my grandson's most used words is stink bug.

We did find something that does a great job of killing them last year though. It is called Bengal GOLD Roach Spray. The Hardware Store Guy told us about it and I have ordered it on line several times since. It works really well and for up to weeks at a time. You are to spray around windows and doors where they might be coming inside. Last summer after using it, I would go out in the mornings and find dozens laying dead at the door stoop. The only good stink bug, is a dead stink bug in my opinion.

Let's hope that the worst is behind us. Too freaky for me.

Ruby

The University of Maryland released the wasps, and we have them in the yard. I only became aware of them because I was stung by one about six weeks ago. Over the weekend when I was planting tomatoes and other companion plants, I saw some wasps in the garden. The last year couple of years we've been overrun by stinkbugs, but this year I've only seen a handful.

I have not seen many either. Overall--less than 10.

Saw one outside a couple of days ago..I calmly poked it into a plastic cup and sprayed with
a Vgetable Insect Spray I have on hand....NOT Sevin!
It croaked within a couple of minutes.

One of my BIG jobs I have yet to accomplish is to unload the contents of my WHOLE 8'x12' shed.
Clean it out--and organize it a bit better. I bet I will see some Stinkbugs when I do that!!!

I cannot say I have seen any to speak of.... Gita

They are definitely less in these parts too thankfully. Gita, yes maam, please be on the alert when working on your shed. A while back I had three stacked empty window boxes sitting on my porch for a few days after bringing them in from one of the sheds. Upon unstacking them, between two of them, there were dozens between the boxes. Yuck!!!

Last summer our Hardware Store personnel told us of a product that does actually work to kill and prevent the bugs. I have spent hundreds of dollars since finding out about the product. Yes, very expensive, but worth the job it did last year. I have ordered it online, so Hardware Store didn't get the sale. It is called Bengal GOLD Roach Spray. Bengal also sells a regular Roach Spray, but something in the GOLD one has an ingredient to prevent the bugs from coming in the house. Instructions say to spray about door and window openings in to house and that it should work for several weeks to prevent the entrance of the bugs. When first using it last summer, I would go outside in the mornings and usually find a couple dozen dead bugs at the door. That is a couple dozen stink bugs that didn't come inside to hide behind picture frames and such.

Let's do hope the worst of the Stink Bug Brigade is behind us though....we can only hope.

Ruby

I've started a continuation thread over here to discuss and commiserate this fall's population looking to snuggle up in our homes for this winter.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1281718/

OMG, I am inundated! They're everywhere! Seems like they just showed up, too. Just horrible. I HATE them. But I hate chemicals more, so am trying to figure out a plan for battle...

Grayce---Have your vacuum at hand....suck them up!

Go to the continuation thread linked just above your post...see the electric fly swatter cure.