The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is now in at least 39 states and is a major economic threat to orchard fruits, garden vegetables and row crops.
First detected in the United States a decade ago, the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is now in at least 39 states, is wreaking havoc in homes and gardens, and is a major economic threat to orchard fruits, garden vegetables and row crops. It’s no wonder the USDA ranks this pest as its top “invasive insect of interest.”
But help may be on the way: USDA scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory in Beltsville, Md., are searching for ways to control the stink bug by deciphering its genetic toolkit, studying the pheromones it releases, and evaluating potential attractants for use in commercial traps. ARS is the USDA’s principal intramural scientific research agency, and this research supports the USDA priority of promoting international food security.
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