ARS | Publication request: The brown marmorated stink bug: pest of Mississippi blueberries?

Submitted to: Mississippi Vaccinium Journal
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: January 25, 2013
Publication Date: February 1, 2012
Citation: Adamczyk Jr, J.J., Sampson, B.J., Werle, C.T. 2012. The brown marmorated stink bug: pest of Mississippi blueberries?. Mississippi Vaccinium Journal. 2:8-10.

Technical Abstract: Economic damage has been reported for the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) attacking small fruits along the mid-Atlantic states, including blueberries, BMSB feeds on numerous plant hosts and populations can be incredibly high at times. Contact insecticides can control the pest, but migrating populations can quickly re-infest an area. Often, invasive and/or exotic insect pests arrive without their native natural enemies to keep the population in check, resulting in massive nmbers. The recent arrival of kudzu bugs in to the Southeast is a good example of massive populations causing devastation to soybean, with no natural defenses. In addition, the pest likes to overwinter in homes in large numbers and can be a nuisance. This article addresses anticipated questions and answers blueberry growers may have regarding the potential of BMSB to become a serious pest along the Gulf Coast.