Stink Bugs in Virginia
Stink bugs in Virginia are destroying farmer’s crops and is a nuisance in your home. They can be found in all parts of Virginia. They are damaging tomatoes, peaches, corn and apples. If you live in Virginia, then I am pretty sure that you know what stink bugs look like and you probably have witnessed the foul smell in your homes. I will be giving you information on what are stink bugs, where they come from and how to get rid of them
Most stink bugs are herbivorous only feeding on plants, vegetables and fruits. Some of the damage that stink bugs in Virginia are causing is what we call cat facing. Cat facing cause vegetables and fruits look deformed, to have dimpling and scarring. This happens because stink bugs is sucking the sap out of the bud. The product is no longer sellable and farmers lose money on the product.
Two species of Stink bugs in Virginia
Stink bugs have been in the United States since the 1990’s, they are native to China. There are over 250 species of stink bugs reported. There are two common species of stink bugs in Virginia and they are the Green Stink Bug and the Brown Stink Bug. They are part of the insect family Pentatomidae. They have wings, 6 legs and antenna. Their bodies are shaped like a shield and they have a triangular scutellum. They are in the order of Hemiptera. That order includes insects that have piercing sucking mouthparts that suck sap from buds and seed pods.
Does Stink Bugs in Virginia have any known predators?
Stink bugs has no known predators in the United States. So they just reproduce and their population is growing very fast. In China where they are native, their known predators is a wasp. Parasitoid wasps are beneficial because they control insects that eat their way through crops. There are some insects that feed on stink bugs that are native to the United States, but they feed on other insects as well and it is not enough to control the stink bug population. Some stink bugs are predators and they feed on other stink bugs, larvae and caterpillars.
Stink bugs are usually harmless to humans but there are been recent reports of people saying they have received stink bugs bite. Stink bugs do not have mouths. They have piecing mouthparts and it is possible that they could poke a human if they feel threatened. This is rare because their defense mechanism is the foul odor that they release from their glands.
Stink Bugs in Virginia find a way in my home
When the weather turns cold, stink bugs will find their way in your home. The best prevention is to stop them from entering in. You must inspect your house for possible entry points and seal them. If you find a few in your home, don’t crush them vacuum them up. You can also set traps by using light traps and using soapy water. One of the problems with having stink bugs in the home is that they attract other stink bugs because they release a chemical and other stink bugs will come running. So if you have a few bugs, it can soon turn into a very big problem.
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