Yes, it is having a snack. I learned they will go after just about any plant inside when I wrote a lengthy paper about these sobs last year. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about what they are or what you should do about them.
 

I hate these bugs! Last time I saw one inside, it was hanging in my citrus trees. I never saw these bugs until the last 2 years or so.

Is it still true that there is no real way to get rid of them as of yet? I do not know where you live, but here in NJ I have heard news reports that they are really bad in some areas.

They say not to squish them because they will stink, so I usually catch them in a cup and let them outside. But I guess that probably is not the best to do because it can just come back inside again.

This year, I have only seen the one on my citrus so far, but last year, I found several in the house among the figs and citrus.

They are here to stay, I am just across the Delaware from you. Last summer was awful here, it seemed like every tomato got bit early in the season, then they went after the corn and raspberries. Their population was knocked down by the stupendous rains we had here, but the mild winter means that many more have survived. The best potential controls are several years away from being ready to use. They are studying Asian parasitic wasps that specialize killing these Asian bugs so they can release them here. But, that wasp will only control these guys partially. Mantises, spiders, and tachanid flys eat them already but cannot dent the SB population. Scientists are searching for a pheromone that will attract all life stages year round for traps. Light based traps are more effective at this point. Then they are looking at bacterial toxins and a fungi, those are the best shots at real long lasting control.

The way I catch them inside is a water bottle with the top cut off and turned upside down and taped. Fill with a few inches of soapy water and they will drown fast. A female can lay 500 eggs so it is best to not release any.

I have those here too. They will devastate a tomato crop quickly. I have to spray several times to control them. I've seen them, especially the groups of babies, on my figs, but I'm don't want  to spray chemicals on my figs. I hope that scientists find a organic control for them soon. I hate spraying my tomatoes, but have to in self defense. Malathion seems to work better than anything else I've tried.

Brent ,
When you wrote your paper did you see any info as to whether a kaolin clay/water  spray like  Surround gave any control for these  ?
Thanks ,
Kerry

Kerry- Yes, on p. 22 of this comprehensive USDA report from 2010 they state "The use of kaolin-clay and sulfur in organic apple systems more consistently and effectively reduced BMSB feeding damage on fruit than the conventional insecticides" (ARS, 2010b). In an indirect contact bioassay surround showed 23 percent lethality on its own, not as deadly as many other sprays, but effective enough as a deterrent it seems. It adds about 20 percent effectiveness to pyrethroids as well.

Soap sprays do kill them, especially the instars (nymphs). I know Dr. Bronners works.

These guys migrate well and flee ahead of loud orchard sprayers and hide under leaves when they see movement. They receive very little contact with residual pesticides because of their physiology and habit of moving in and out of crops, the most effective synthetic pesticides (methomyl, malathion, pyrethroids, and one neo-nicitinoid) have the short residual times as well so control is tough. Farmers around here were talking about going over their annual spray budgets in the first few months of the season and still seeing SBs everywhere. In Asia they have been known to crush up the SB bodies and use that as a deterrent spray (works on people too :).

Killing them as they emerge in the Spring or Fall when they go into diapause (hibernation) is the best way to get their numbers down it seems because they congregate on warm walls and can be sprayed as a mass.

Tim- they feed on many many types of plants, you should take the malathion and target them on nearby ornamentals and trees you find them feeding on to reduce the amount on your tomatoes, avoid the beneficial if at all possible of course so you do not get other pest problems later on. Always spray before you mow (if the grass needs it and the SBs are in the area), if you mow then spray they will go away for the day and then return later unharmed. Some trap crops you can plant include sunflower, soybean, and carrots they also go after paulownia trees and tree of heaven. There is a long list of plants that they feed on as an appendix to the linked report above. Also, spray in the evening or at night, they spend their days resting in tree canopies and feed mostly at night.

The organic sprays that are most effective are M- Pede, Spinosad, Pyganic + Surround, and the two bacteria are called MBI 203 and 206, they produce a protein that kills the SBs and live bacteria are not needed for an effective spray.

Hi, I'm a new member and would like to share some information that I recently found while searching for pesticides that are effective against white flies.  The same product has been given conditional EPA approval for use on stink bugs in several states.   Fast track approval was given since so few things are effective against the stink bugs.  The tradenames are Venom and Scorpion; the products are the same.  It's a systemic product.  http://www.valent.com/agriculture/products/venom/index.cfm  The sale/use of the product may be regulated, I've not tried it.

Also, my thanks to all for an excellent forum and their generosity.

John

Thanks for sharing John, welcome to the forum! This stinkbug mess is really complicated and regulators are way behind the ball, as usual. A systemic product might reduce some of the costs for farmers and hopefully their total pesticide use. It takes some hard decision making to be a farmer these days and I hope no-one loses their heads or their homes over these bugs.

Brent, thank you for the tips on spraying times & products. I've saved your link to read more thoroughly when I get time.