Baute Bug Blog

Author:  Hannah Fraser, Entomology Program Lead (Hort), OMAFRA

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is an invasive alien species native to China, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan. It was introduced to North America in the mid 1990s, and was first detected in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2001. While BMSB is capable of natural spread, the pest is also an excellent hitchhiker and can be moved over large distances in cargo and vehicles. At present it has been found in at least 35 states, though many of these are simply detections rather than confirmed as established in the field.

BMSB has a very broad host range that includes tree fruit, berries, grapes, vegetables, agronomic crops, ornamental trees and ornamental shrubs. Damage results when nymphs and adults feed on either vegetative or fruiting plant parts. The pest is highly mobile and can readily switch hosts, moving between crops throughout the growing season. In 2010 and 2011, BMSB was seen in extremely high numbers in the mid-Atlantic region of the US, where growers reported significant economic loss in multiple crops (particularly tree fruit).

Adults overwinter in sheltered areas that may include homes and other heated buildings. As they can aggregate in very large numbers, the BMSB has become a considerable nuisance pest for home owners where established. While the bugs do not bite humans, they will release a foul smell when handled or otherwise disturbed. They do not lay eggs or reproduce inside structures. Aggregation in artificial structures is not common among stink bugs, and is a behaviour that may provide an early warning of where BMSB has become established.

Earlier this year, we reported on a homeowner find of BMSB in an urban centre in Ontario. In the fall of 2011, there were four additional homeowner interceptions, including two in early December. We have also learned of two confirmed finds in late 2010. All of the finds – a total of seven adult specimens – have occurred in Hamilton, ON. While we have yet to find BMSB in the field, the presence of several specimens in a small geographic area and over multiple years implies that a population of this pest may have already become established in Ontario. At the very least, these interceptions provide important information on where to target surveys in 2012.

How can you help?

BMSB was identified by numerous commodity groups as a pest of significance during the 2011 Canadian Minor Use Pesticide Priority Setting Conference. OMAFRA and other provincial agricultural ministries, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Pest Management Centre and United States counterparts (U.S. IR-4 minor use program) are working together to find pest management solutions for BMSB, in anticipation that this pest could become an agricultural nuisance following its establishment.

If BMSB has become established in Ontario, early detection is important to the long term success of management programs. There is a monitoring network for this pest; however, we have a better chance of finding pockets of small populations if more people are looking. Tracking the distribution and spread is essential. If you think you have found BMSB, contact the Agriculture Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or email ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.  Place the insect in a leak proof container and add rubbing alcohol, or freeze to kill it.

For more information and for updates on BMSB, visit our website at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/insects/bmsb-resources.html