Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
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Symptoms of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
- Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) cause damage by injecting saliva and then ingesting the liquefied plant material during fruit and seed development and maturation
Damage to fruit
Damage to soybeans
Damage to corn
Impact on Crops
- Soybeans are vulnerable to yield loss after R3 and may develop green stems and mature improperly. Seed quality can be negatively impacted
- Insect is a threat to sweet corn industry but also feeds and can reproduce on field corn
- Stink bug presence may make silage unpalatable to cattle
- Feeding injury on corn ears may increase potential for ear molds and can impact grain quality
Identification
- Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) has distinct double white band on antennae (top image below). On brown stink bug (BSB), the white band is single or nonexistent (bottom image below).
- Brown marmorated stink bug has a broad white pattern on abdomen (top image below). Pattern is narrow on brown stink bug (bottom image below).
- Brown marmorated stink bug has red compound and simple eyes (top image below). Brown stink bug has brown or black eyes (bottom image below).
Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) – Halyomorpha halys
Brown stink bug (BSB) – Euschistus sp.
Pest Facts
- Scientific name is Halyomorpha halys
- Introduced to mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in the late 1990s from Asia
- Is a strong flyer, allowing it to disperse broadly across the U.S. Has been found in all states east of the Mississippi River and also Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Arizona, California and Washington
- May not develop as a significant pest until 5 or more years after detection in a region
- Hosts include more than 20 tree, shrub and small fruit species, and many vegetables and field crops, including corn and soybeans. May be highly destructive to crops
- Typical of other stink bugs, BMSB emits a pungent odor when disturbed
- Few natural enemies exist in North America; insect is distasteful to predators
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Life Cycle
- Develop with incomplete metamorphosis - egg, five instars and adult stage
- Eggs are shaped like a beer barrel, laid in clusters
- Brown to black nymphs congregate after hatching
- Nymphs lack fully developed wings
Management Considerations
- Scout soybeans from R2 till mid-August
- Scout especially field edges and treat them separately if warranted (see photo below)
- In soybean the threshold is 2.5 to 3.5 BMSB every 15 sweeps
- Populations will be highest at dusk and dawn, and reinvasion is possible after a pesticide treatment
- Many insecticides are labeled for stink bug control, however, BMSB may be more tolerant of many pesticides than other stinkbugs
- Nymphs are more sensitive to insecticides than adults
- Check local control recommendations and always read and follow label instructions
Green soybeans along field edge showing delayed maturity (green stem syndrome) due to brown marmorated stink bug feeding.
Further Reference
- Brown Marmorated Stink Bug - Utah State University Extension and the Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Laboratory
Image credits:
- Rutgers University
- Dr. Galen Dively, University of Maryland
- Drs. Tracy Leskey & Jeff Wildonger, USDA-ARS
- Dr. Marlin Rice, Pioneer Hi-Bred
- Dr. Doug Inkley, NWF