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Brown marmorated stink bug
The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) is an invasive stink bug species that was first identified in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2001. It is thought that they first came to North America in shipping containers arriving from Asia.
Besides its pungent odor, the brown marmorated stink bug is most notorious for having become an annual nuisance for homeowners for its habit of gathering in large numbers on the sides of houses and buildings in the late fall, and entering these structures in order to survive the winter.
About the brown marmorated stink bug
(Halyomorpha halys)
Appearance
- Size: Adults are approximately 17 mm (5/8 inch) long
- Brownish grey color
- They are the typical “shield” shape
- Alternating dark & light colored bands on the last two segments of the antenna and exposed edges of abdomen.
Lifecycle
- Adults emerge from their overwintering sites in the spring, usually in early May. After they feed for about two weeks, they mate, and the females begin to lay eggs.
- Eggs are pale green, elliptical-shaped, laid in clusters of 20-30 eggs on the undersides of leaves from June to August.
- A single female can lay up to 400 eggs. Eggs hatch in three to seven days.
- Nymphs range in size from 2.4 mm 1st instar nymphs to 12 mm 5th instar nymph.
- Dark red eyes; abdomen yellowish-red in 1st instar, off-white with reddish spots on abdomen of later instars.
- The nymphs pass through five instars (sub-stages), with a molt between each instar. Each instar lasts about one week, before the final molt into the adult stage.
- New adults start to appear in late July or August.
Habits
- When handled or crushed, stink bugs release a foul smelling secretion from glands on the top side of the thorax & underside of the abdomen.
- Stink bugs feed on plants by piercing fruits and stems. Known food sources include: pear, peach, apricot, cherry, mulberry, persimmon, and apple trees; buddleia, honeysuckle, rosa rugosa, and abelia shrubs; raspberries and grapes; and legumes, including beans.