Brown Stink Bug

Key Points

• Brown stink bugs can be found nearly everywhere in North America.
• Brown stink bug injury to corn occurs primarily during the early vegetative stages.
• Plants with injured stalks or growing points may be stunted, tiller, or may die and significant stand loss can occur under heavy infestation.
• No-till corn planted into heavy cover, such as winter wheat straw, heavy winter annual weeds, or a cover crop has a higher risk of brown stink bug damage.

Pest Facts

• Native North American species are brown stink bugs (BSB) of  Euschistus sp., including E. Servus and E. Variolarius.
• Introduced from Asia is the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) Halyomorpha Halys.
• Hosts: row crops or herbaceous plants like corn, soybeans, vegetables and alfalfa; or woody plants like fruit and forest trees.
• Stinkbugs feed with piercing and sucking mouthparts, similarly to mosquitoes. Mouthparts pierce the surface, inject an enzyme, then re-ingest the dissolved plant material.
• Stink bugs feed on growing plants and may cause misshapen or stunted plants that grow improperly.
• They also feed on fruit and seeds, causing blemishes and seriously impacting quality.
• Some species are a winter nuisance to homeowners as they congregate in homes for shelter.

Adult brown stink bug. Characteristics include brown color, shield-shape, 1/2-inch length, with piercing and sucking mouthparts. It has a distinctive triangular shaped area on back and produces a strong odor when disturbed.

Impact on Corn

• Most injury to corn occurs from seedling through V5 vegetative stage.
• Feeding through rolled leaves creates a repeating pattern of holes.
• Holes may be small to very elongated with yellow “halos.”
• Plants with injured stalks or growing points may be stunted, tiller, or may die.
• Significant stand loss can occur in heavily infested fields.
• Ears of slowed plants may mature late and will have poor kernel fill.

  

Distribution

• At least one species of brown stink bug can be found nearly everywhere in North America.
• Native species are more prevalent in the Southeast, Northeast into Canada, and West to British Columbia.
• Introduced species, such as brown marmorated stink bug, can be found from California to the East coast and are rapidly spreading to the North and South.

Life Cycle

• Develop with incomplete metamorphosis
• Eggs are “beer-barrel” shaped, laid in clusters
• Nymphs congregate after hatching
• Nymphs lack fully developed wings

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Management Considerations

• If given time after spring weed control, adults will leave most fields in search of food elsewhere.
• Fields needing early scouting:
  • no-till into heavy cover, such as winter wheat straw, heavy winter annual weeds, or a cover crop
  • history of stink bug injury
  • edges with cover, such as shelterbelts
  • broadleaf weeds, especially shepherd’s purse, killed after corn emergence
• Stink bugs can feed in the open seed slots. In no-till fields with the potential for poor seed-furrow closure, manage down pressure, residue, and closure appropriately.
• Insecticide seed treatments may give some relief but the large size of the pest and feeding method make it difficult to control.
• Where severe damage is expected it may be possible to apply a labeled pesticide for adult control with pre-emergence weed control or no-till burn down.
  
• Currently there are no transgenic products available for sucking insects.
• There are a few natural enemies, such as a Tachinid fly that parasitize stink bugs, but they cannot be depended on to control damaging populations.

Key Characteristics

Stink Bugs / Brown Stink Bug

• Shield-shaped insect of the true bug group
• About 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch in length
• Front 1/2 of wings are leathery, last 1/2 usually membranous
• Triangular scutelum separates thorax and abdomen
• Sucking mouthparts
• Brown mottled above, green or yellow below

Do not confuse with Spined Soldier Bug – predatory and considered beneficial

• Slightly smaller than the BSB or BMSB
• Usually has a yellow cast with yellow underside
• More prominent spines on shoulder