[MAIPC] brown marmorated stink bug - good news

[Richard Gardner]

  We live near Shartlesville, PA, a few miles from ground zero for the BMSB. Four years ago our house was infested with (attacked by?) thousands of these creatures, Last year this was down to a few dozens. This year appears to be even fewer. Apparently, they are being driven out of existence by something locally. My guess is that it is a combination disease and native predators.

  Garden-wise they like tomatoes and beans. Our hardest hit vegetables, or most noticeable, were the yellow wax beans and possibly purple pole beans. We see some damage on red noodle beans and similar long beans that are green, but not at the level of the yellow wax beans. Recently I have had to knock a few adults off of the longer varieties of beans as I picked, but not nearly at the level I feared. This is not definitive as we grow only beans, tomatoes, tomatillos, squashes, peppers, onions and a few herbs.

                                                                                                                                      Richard Gardner



Our dog Sir Isaac Newton for president. Clearly, the people's choice!