Looks like a bad year for stink bugs. - Page 3

b54red · July 14, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrongPlant

I can't believe it but even here across the ocean the situation is the same...
Since I didn't use any pesticides stinkbugs have wrecked havoc on my tomatoes.They don't seem to have any natural enemies at all,and even though I'm removing and killing them by hand,I see more every day.I did a small test with a dishwasher detergent,it seems to kill them within 60 seconds,but the concetration needs to be pretty high,although I don't know what's the minimum to be effective.I'm guessing it's the enzymes in detergent that kill them.

If you really want to get rid of them then you will have to use some pesticide but it doesn't have to be a dangerous one but you will need to use it at higher concentrations than recommended on the bottle. Stink bugs and leaf footed bugs are hard to kill but they are easily killed with Permethrin which is a mild poison with little affect on mammals except cats which are sensitive to it. It is the poison most often found in dog shampoos for getting rid of fleas and has a short window for effectiveness.

I mix up a solution of very soapy water (2 TBS of Dawn dishwashing liquid per gallon), Permethrin, and food grade diatomaceous earth. The DE has to be mixed in a separate jug and shaken well then strained through a fine mesh strainer into your tank then add the Permethrin and soap. I use about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of DE to a gallon of water. It stays in solution pretty well but you need to shake it occasionally while spraying and sometimes open up the nozzle to keep it clear of clogging. When this mix is sprayed on the Permethrin and soap will help kill any adults that it gets on and the DE will be left on the plant when it dries in a fine film which will kill the young ones that just hatch out. I have been using this mix for two years and seldom have to use it more than twice in a long growing season unless we get a lot of rain.

Bill

gorbelly · July 22, 2016

I haven't seen any since very early this spring, before I planted anything out. I don't know whether it's just not our time for them yet up here in PA or what.

It's also possible that their population is coming into balance with the ecosystem up here. Eastern PA is ground zero for the brown marmorated stinkbug. I've heard that native stinkbug predators have been adapting their behaviors to include the invasive BMS, and that their native egg parasites, Trissolcus japonicus wasps, have been found in the wild at least since last year, in both Maryland and in Washington state, so maybe Trissolcus japonicus has been making some headway.

Cole_Robbie · July 22, 2016

That is an encouraging thought, that an invasive species will eventually foster a new predator population to control them.

kath · July 22, 2016

Also in SE PA and just started finding stink bug marks (and one bug) on tomatoes- mostly the ones on the outsides of cages. It doesn't seem to be the brown marmorated stink bugs that affect my tomatoes; the only ones I've ever caught on fruits were much smaller brownish and greenish varieties.

What kinds of stink bugs do you all find?

kath

gorbelly · July 22, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

That is an encouraging thought, that an invasive species will eventually foster a new predator population to control them.

They had been studying the wasps in quarantined labs for possible release into the wild, but they apparently came over on their own the way the stinkbugs did--probably hitching a ride in parasitized stinkbug eggs. So the BMS had their heyday of relatively uncontested proliferation, but that appears to be coming to an end.

b54red · July 22, 2016

They have gotten worse down here the last few years.

Bill

b54red · July 24, 2016

I have a real problem this year with spider mites. I used my stinkbug spray last time and thought I had gotten rid of them. They're back! A few showers followed by dry weather has them repopulating all my new growth and even attacking my new seedlings that have only been out a little while. The speed with which they are advancing is frightening. I started spraying this morning but couldn't get finished so I will try finishing in the blazing sun despite the danger of leaf burn. If I don't slow them down now I won't have to worry with tomatoes for much longer this year.

I think I will even go so far as to spray again in a week or so just to get the new growth covered before they can get started on it again. The plants were really starting to recover from the last wave of them and looking good again and pow. At least I haven't seen a stinkbug or leaf footed bug since my last spraying of the mix. I was hoping that a single good treatment would work this year like it did last year on the spider mites but it looks like this may be a protracted conflict.

Bill

gorbelly · July 25, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

They have gotten worse down here the last few years.

Bill

Yeah, I would expect that. If its native predator is in the wild, it will take some time to spread, and in the meantime, the problem will likely get worse before it gets better.

StrongPlant · July 26, 2016

There seems to be 2 different species in my garden.The ones with patterns appear to be the same species but have multiple morphs.The green ones are the worst an most numerous.One square=5mm

Maybe someone knows their full latin names?

Dewayne mater · July 26, 2016

Bill - has it been dry, hot and sunny? Those conditions really favor spider mite proliferation. I know of nothing to be done spray wise, other than what you are doing. I have found that shade cloth, keeping the plants watered seems to help. They have a short reproduction cycle of less than a week, so spraying has to happen often.

There is a predatory mite that is their enemy. I said I was going that way this year, but, with mites, I think you have to be on the front end of an infestation and use to control a population vs. OMG these things are everywhere what am I going to do. That's what seems to happen to me!

Good info: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7405.html

Dewayne

b54red · July 26, 2016

Dewayne, this has been a very hot season. April and May were nice but wow June and July have been very hot with long dry spells in between a few thunderstorms with a lot of wind but little rain. The nights have been very hot to go along with scorching days. I was hoping for a bit of a break but it hasn't happened yet. The one good thing about this weather is that some of the diseases have been lighter than usual in particular gray mold. Of course with spider mites destroying so much of my foliage who can tell.

Bill

PhilaGardener · July 26, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrongPlant

There seems to be 2 different species in my garden.The ones with patterns appear to be the same species but have multiple morphs.The green ones are the worst an most numerous.One square=5mm

Maybe someone knows their full latin names?

Check out A Field Guide to Stink Bugs from Virginia IPM

b54red · July 26, 2016

I can't believe it, just went outside and it was a pleasant 81. Came in and checked the forecast and it could get down to 73 tonight. That will feel like a cold spell. Hope this will last for a while and we can get a measure of relief. It might help with the spider mite plague I have been trying to halt or at least slow down.

Bill

b54red · July 28, 2016

Now that I have picked most of the fruit below the spider mite damaged leaves I went out this morning and pruned off all the dying leaves that resulted from the mites. I was left with mostly palm trees on all my older plants and even some of my newer ones. When I got through I sprayed my mix again on all the new undamaged leaves that were left and added a TBS of copper spray to each gallon of mix so I could get a little fungicide on them without having to do another spraying. I needed the copper for the small gray mold problem on my black tomatoes and anthracnose on my bell peppers.
Now all we need is a good rain to put some moisture back in the soil of course if we get enough I will probably have to spray again but I am tired of watering just to maintain my plants in this heat. At least the nights are somewhat cooler but the days are still hitting the mid 90s which is a little better than the last few weeks but still too helpful to spider mites.

Bill

Starlight · July 28, 2016

Kinda of a crazy question Bill, but I wonder is the use of the DE killing off the predators too that would help keep the mites in check? I wonder have you looked real close at your mites? The reason I ask is with such a massive population as what you have do you have the predatory mite that eats the bad mite possibly too and why it seems like you over run with them?

July 22, 2016	#32
gorbelly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Posts: 1,069	I haven't seen any since very early this spring, before I planted anything out. I don't know whether it's just not our time for them yet up here in PA or what. It's also possible that their population is coming into balance with the ecosystem up here. Eastern PA is ground zero for the brown marmorated stinkbug. I've heard that native stinkbug predators have been adapting their behaviors to include the invasive BMS, and that their native egg parasites, Trissolcus japonicus wasps, have been found in the wild at least since last year, in both Maryland and in Washington state, so maybe Trissolcus japonicus has been making some headway.

July 22, 2016	#33
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	That is an encouraging thought, that an invasive species will eventually foster a new predator population to control them.

July 22, 2016	#34
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Also in SE PA and just started finding stink bug marks (and one bug) on tomatoes- mostly the ones on the outsides of cages. It doesn't seem to be the brown marmorated stink bugs that affect my tomatoes; the only ones I've ever caught on fruits were much smaller brownish and greenish varieties. What kinds of stink bugs do you all find? kath

July 22, 2016	#36
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	They have gotten worse down here the last few years. Bill

July 24, 2016	#37
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have a real problem this year with spider mites. I used my stinkbug spray last time and thought I had gotten rid of them. They're back! A few showers followed by dry weather has them repopulating all my new growth and even attacking my new seedlings that have only been out a little while. The speed with which they are advancing is frightening. I started spraying this morning but couldn't get finished so I will try finishing in the blazing sun despite the danger of leaf burn. If I don't slow them down now I won't have to worry with tomatoes for much longer this year. I think I will even go so far as to spray again in a week or so just to get the new growth covered before they can get started on it again. The plants were really starting to recover from the last wave of them and looking good again and pow. At least I haven't seen a stinkbug or leaf footed bug since my last spraying of the mix. I was hoping that a single good treatment would work this year like it did last year on the spider mites but it looks like this may be a protracted conflict. Bill

July 26, 2016	#39
StrongPlant Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Europe/Serbia-Belgrade Posts: 151	There seems to be 2 different species in my garden.The ones with patterns appear to be the same species but have multiple morphs.The green ones are the worst an most numerous.One square=5mm Maybe someone knows their full latin names?

July 26, 2016	#40
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Bill - has it been dry, hot and sunny? Those conditions really favor spider mite proliferation. I know of nothing to be done spray wise, other than what you are doing. I have found that shade cloth, keeping the plants watered seems to help. They have a short reproduction cycle of less than a week, so spraying has to happen often. There is a predatory mite that is their enemy. I said I was going that way this year, but, with mites, I think you have to be on the front end of an infestation and use to control a population vs. OMG these things are everywhere what am I going to do. That's what seems to happen to me! Good info: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7405.html Dewayne

July 28, 2016	#44
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Now that I have picked most of the fruit below the spider mite damaged leaves I went out this morning and pruned off all the dying leaves that resulted from the mites. I was left with mostly palm trees on all my older plants and even some of my newer ones. When I got through I sprayed my mix again on all the new undamaged leaves that were left and added a TBS of copper spray to each gallon of mix so I could get a little fungicide on them without having to do another spraying. I needed the copper for the small gray mold problem on my black tomatoes and anthracnose on my bell peppers. Now all we need is a good rain to put some moisture back in the soil of course if we get enough I will probably have to spray again but I am tired of watering just to maintain my plants in this heat. At least the nights are somewhat cooler but the days are still hitting the mid 90s which is a little better than the last few weeks but still too helpful to spider mites. Bill

July 28, 2016	#45
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	Kinda of a crazy question Bill, but I wonder is the use of the DE killing off the predators too that would help keep the mites in check? I wonder have you looked real close at your mites? The reason I ask is with such a massive population as what you have do you have the predatory mite that eats the bad mite possibly too and why it seems like you over run with them?