Stink bugs

[Suze]

Originally Posted by dice

Will pyrethrum kill them? If so, you could spray the bottoms of the boards.

Yes, it will. The problem is that pyrethum is short acting and breaks down rather quickly, so I don't know how helpful it would be to treat boards or other gardening surfaces with it.

Pyrethroids (non-organic/man-made), on the other hand, stick around a little longer before breaking down. They are also generally less expensive than pyrethrum. However, it is a bit more "unsafe" in terms of toxicity to the gardener, for the very reason that the residues do linger around longer. And I will add that even though pyrethrum is organic and breaks down quickly, it's not something one would want to indiscriminately apply without the knowledge that it is somewhat toxic to humans. When I use it, I wear non-porous gloves and breathing protection, and am careful to wash hands afterwards. Actually, I launder application clothes before even wearing them in the garden again, and take a bath afterwards.

There are any number of things that can be used to treat for stinkbugs, including diatomaceous earth or even Sevin, the question becomes what makes the most sense for the gardener in terms in terms of how many plants they have to treat, and their comfort level with using those substances.

Diatomaceous earth can be quite dangerous if inhaled, and breathing/eye protection should always be used during application. It also has to be frequently reapplied.

Sevin, in my experience, can cause a lot of problems in killing off beneficials that deal with spider mites, aphids and whiteflies, so I don't like to use it. And it is also quite toxic to bees.

[duajones]

While working in the yard today, I happened to notice that my Esperanza was loaded with nymphs. I used a soap spray to kill them and then rinsed the plant off a little later. I chose not to use a pesticide because the bees really like this plant. Im thinking it might be another host plant similiar to the millet. Will keep my on it here in the future to see if it is.

[tlcmd]

Parasitic wasps and flies have been known to help control both squash and stink bugs. If you planted alyssum or dill around your squash, you may be able to attract these beneficial insects. You can also control them with rotenone or malathione. Another method is to leave boards or shingles near your plants overnight. The bugs use them for cover. In the early AM, you can "harvest" and dispose of the beasties. Dill is also reported to deter stink bugs and squash bugs, but will attract tomato hornworms, but you can much more easily remove hornworms from dill than from heavily folaged tomato plants.

[feldon30]

I went out this morning to check on the garden -- don't we all do that every morning, or maybe several times a day? -- and I found an army (or maybe I should say harem) of stinkbugs (technically they were the skinnier leaf-footed bugs) in the last place I'd ever expect. I found them on my Tangerine tree.

So I went inside and mixed up a bottle of Pyrethrin & Neem Oil (Green Light's organic Fruit Tree Concentrate) spray and soaked all the bugs and then knocked them off onto the grass. Over 30 bugs.

Of course while I was at it, I found the source of all the chewing on a few of my potato plants -- little green caterpillars. I picked off about a dozen and then gave the affected plants a light spraying in case I missed any.

I will go back later today and check the undersides of the leaves and branches of the citrus tree for the characteristic rectangular stink bug eggs.

[BVGardener]

Feldon, is that the ones with the triangular shaped head?

Jay

[feldon30]

[BVGardener]

I start getting those around the first week of June and they cause the most damage of all garden pests for me.

Jay

[feldon30]

I have started seeds of Millet. I hope to grow it as a trap crop for the stink bugs.

[duajones]

I also have millet growing as well as sunflower. I got them planted a little late so Im not sure if they will help or not

[bryanccfshr]

I have been trying to control mine all winter. I have been squashing adults overwintering and the little red nyphs all winter long. I am afraid more will just fly in. I make it a point to kill everyone I see. I was happy to get some assassin bugs and would be happier still if I saw them with little red leaf footed bug nymphs speared on their beaks.
I have permethrin poweder at the ready this year if my less severe approaches fail(but would only use it on my fruiting plants so as to give beneficials some place where a few can survive.. I can't stand stinkbug damage on otherwise good tomatoes.

[snappybob]

What is the "days to wait until harvest" value for Permethrin? I haven't seen any stink bugs lately but I'm sure their coming.

[bryanccfshr]

For Tomatoes I believe it is 1 day.(I will have to check that but I read the package and indications carefully before I bought it) I have it but have not had to use it yet. It is absolutely a last resort becasue it is such a broad spectrum insecticide.

[snappybob]

I tried pyrethrins last year in the form of Diatec dust. It didn't have much of an effect. They would fly away when I dusted with the Diatec in the evening but would be back in swarms the next morning. Pyrethrins by nature degrade quickly. I'm not sure about Permethrins. I might try Pyrethrins again in a liquid form and see how that works.

[bryanccfshr]

Permethrin remains longer and does not degrade as fast by sunlight for example as the naturally derived Pyrethrins from what I have read. I am currently on a regular spray schedule wit Neem and will start spinosad as soon as I notice moths and butterflies.

[feldon30]

I think any kind of dust would be rather ineffective. I look for liquid concentrates, etc.