In the last two weeks, Penn State University (PSU) Extension agents have observed a big increase in numbers of brown marmorated stink bug nymphs (BMSB) collected in monitoring traps placed in multiple commercial orchards. Traps placed on trees located on the border of woods as well as traps placed in the first row of orchards, which rarely collected any stink bugs for most of this season, now are collecting many BMSB nymphs and adults.
On the week of August 25, some BMSB traps located at the border of woods collected more than 100 various BMSB stages per trap. A similar increase of BMSB numbers was observed on sites already harvested such as cherry blocks or early peaches, which did not see any insecticide application for some time.
During this year’s observations (through late August), PSU researchers are detecting brown marmorated stink bugs mostly on the edges of orchards bordering woods but not, compared to the last few seasons, on various agronomic crops such as soybean or corn fields.
Since not every orchard will experience the same pressure from BMSB, cautious scouting and monitoring of the vegetation surrounding an orchard should be very helpful in deciding if any special stink bug control treatment is necessary, researchers suggest.
Click here for more details about what PSU scientists are seeing.