Non-Chemical Management
- Pick and destroy BMSB egg masses or groups of young nymphs. While hand-picking adults may be somewhat effective in small gardens, manual control may not be very successful due to the wide host range and large numbers of BMSB in some areas. Catching adults and nymphs can be facilitated through net-sweeping, plant vacuuming or shaking the infested plant over a drop cloth.
- Some natural enemies feed on BMSB, including domestic chickens, praying mantids, and other predaceous insects. While natural enemies may not be sufficient to provide complete control, avoid use of broad-spectrum insecticides which would harm populations of beneficial insects.
- When practical, plants may be screened with a floating row cover or similar barrier. Row covers must be in place BEFORE stink bugs are present; however, for best fruit production, row covers should be placed after pollination has occurred. Depending on timing of the stink bug life cycle, row covers placed after fruit formation begins may not be completely effective at preventing stink bug damage.
- For management of nuisance populations of BMSB in and around homes and structures, visit the WSU Pestsense website (http://pep.wsu.edu/pestsense/) for more information.
Select non-chemical management options as your first choice!
