Move Over, Bedbugs: Stink Bugs Have Landed

[depakid]

Kelli Wilson and her father, Richard Lee Pry, cleared stink bugs from her porch Friday in Burkittsville, Md. The shield-shaped invaders have damaged fruit and vegetable crops.
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When they retreated from the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate troops passed by the area that is now Richard Masser’s orchards. If only the latest enemy — the brown marmorated stink bug — would follow suit.



Damage to fruit and vegetable crops from stink bugs in Middle Atlantic states has reached critical levels, according to a government report. That is in addition to the headaches the bugs are giving homeowners who cannot keep them out of their living rooms — especially the people who unwittingly step on them. When stink bugs are crushed or become irritated, they emit a pungent odor that is sometimes described as skunklike.

Suddenly, the bedbug has competition for pest of the year.

Farmers in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other states are battling a pest whose appetite has left dry boreholes in everything from apples and grapes to tomatoes and soybeans. Stink bugs have made their mark on 20 percent of the apple crop at Mr. Masser’s Scenic View Orchards here. Other farmers report far worse damage.

“They’re taking money out of your pocket, just like a thief,” said Mr. Masser, flicking stink bugs off his shirt and baseball cap as he overlooked his 325 acres, a few miles south of the Pennsylvania border. “We need to stop them.”

No one seems to know how. Government and university researchers say they need more time to study the bug, which has been in the United States since about 1998. Native to Asia, it was first found in Allentown, Pa., and has no natural enemies here.

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/us/27stinkbug.html

[CC]

1. Ok I have to stop complaining

because though I have been hit with the damn things not as bad as these people have. Throwing them into a bucket of soapy water does kill them and pretty fast too.

[lonestarnot]

2. Someone should round up a few and take 'em to the next teabagger convention.

:evilgrin:

[AmericaIsGreat]

3. All OVER my fucking room

Climbing in through my in-window AC. God damn it I hate them. Once in a while one will get caught in the AC unit and i'll hear it trying to fly out and buzzing in there until it eventually succumbs to a cold death. FUCK THESE THINGS. DIE!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. I flush them down the toilet and I feel guilty

wasting water and killing but the demons aren't welcome here! I went against my priciples and bought termite spray from Home Depot and sprayed all my windows! I removed 500 of dead ones from the wondows yesterday. They are in the creases of the drapes, creep into the blankets ugh!

[kickysnana]

5. So many of these infestataions. Carlessness or guerilla warfare? n/t

[EC]

6. Haven't seen those around for ages... n/t

[pansypoo53219]

7. they say it's cause of the decline in the bat population.

SAVE THE BATS!!! we had a dragon fly boom and damsel flies that EAT bugs. yay!

[Tunkamerica]

8. stink bugs have only been in the US since 98?

I swear I saw these before then. And I feel like I had heard of stink bugs when I was a kid.

[tom_paine]

9. From the article:

"Populations of the brown marmorated stink bug — different from the green stink bugs that are kept in check by natural predators here — have been found in 15 states, and specimens in 14 other states, according to the United States Department of Agriculture."

It's always best to read the article.

;-)