Key Features
- Brown shield shaped bug
- White bands on antenna
- Wet spots on thin barked trees
Symptoms
Adults are less than an inch in length, shield-shaped, and brown with white bands on the antennae and dark bands outlining the rear of the body (wings folded over body). Wings appear marbled. When disturbed or squashed, these bugs give off a foul odor. Immature and adult stages feed on flower buds leaves, seeds and fruits of trees. Smooth barked trees can be damaged and appear wet when insects feed on sap through the bark. When numerous, adults can be a nuisance in homes.
Biology
This is an invasive insect from China. In its native range, brown marmorated stink bug can have up to four generations per year. In Maryland, there are two generations a year while in Pennsylvania and Indiana only one has been reported. Adults enter homes and other protected structures in the fall to spend the winter. Adults emerge from overwintering in spring, mate, and lay eggs. Nymphs are black and red and with each subsequent molt begin to look more like the adult. Adults become very noticeable in September and October as they try to enter buildings and homes to overwinter.
Management Recommendations
Their sustained presence over the course of the growing season makes it difficult to protect plants. Acetamiprid and Carbaryl and Permethrin will kill this insect on contact and continue to kill insects for several days after the material has been sprayed. Acetamiprid and Carbaryl will kill eggs and immature stages (nymphs) and adults. Permethrin will kill nymphs and adults only. Neem oil and Rosemary oil will kill nymphs and eggs only. Insecticidal soap and Horticultural oil will only kill nymphs. Keep out of homes by sealing and caulking windows, and via perimeter sprays of insecticide around homes (see link).
Effective Pesticides
Active Ingredients include: Acetamiprid, Azadirachtin, Bifenthrin, Capsaicin, Carbaryl, Horticultural oil (Paraffinic or superior oil) , Insecticidal soap (Potassium salt of fatty acid), Permethrin, Pyrethrin, Rosemary oil
Resources
- Report this pest
- For more information about invasives, visit https://ag.purdue.edu/reportinvasive/
- Host plants of brown marmorated stink bug
- Keep BMSB out of homes
- Midwest Stinkbug Assistant
- Not satisfied with ID? Contact the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab
- Sign Up for the Purdue Landscape Report
