Brown marmorated stink bug invading Oregon homes

The Oregon Department of Agriculture isreceiving numerous calls from residents concerned about brown marmorated stinkbug populations in and around their homes.

The invasive insect species, whichwas first detected in Oregon in2004, has established itself in several urbanareas of the state and is now spreading to suburban and rural communities.

While brown marmorated stink bug is not a structural pest and is not a humanhealth concern, it releases an unpleasantodor whendisturbed and can cause damage to agricultural crops as well as home gardens.

“What we predicted in 2004 isnow happening– the population of the bug has grown so large in Oregon that itis now invading homes,” says Dr. Helmuth Rogg, Director of the OregonDepartment of Agriculture’s Plant Protection and Conservation programs.”Thishas happened in other parts of the US after about 10 years. The stink bugs aremoving around and inside homes this time of year, which is why ODA is gettingso many calls.”

Similar to the box elder bug,which is native to Oregon, the brown marmorated stink bug is currently lookingfor a place to overwinter. The bug is expected to disappear from view over thenext few weeks as the weather turns colder at night. Nonetheless, itmay beharboring inside the home and will re-emerge next spring.

Agency spokesman Bruce Pokarney said the bugs are the most prevalent in the Willamette Valley but seem to be spreading into rural aras and have been seen east of the Cascades, including the Boardman-Hermiston area.

The best advice for brownmarmorated stink bug is to keep it out in the first place.

“Seal up points of access,”says Jim LaBonte, ODA entomologist. “For bugs that have already entered thehome, it depends on how many you have and your tolerance to these insects. Youcan escort them outside, flush them down the toilet, or dispose ofthem as yousee fit.

“If there is a large number of them, a vacuum cleaner works well. Wedon’t recommend calling a pest control company this time of year. First, thesebugs aren’t harmful. You should be able to deal with them on your own.Secondly, your home islike an island in a sea of bugs. Spraying pesticidesmight get rid of pests inside the house at that time, but others likely willcome in and take their place, especially if you haven’t sealed the accesses.”

The best long-term hope fordealing with the bug is biological control. ODA is the lead regional agency forconducting research involvingTrissolcusjaponicus, a tiny imported wasp that acts as a parasite of the brownmarmorated stink bug. After three yearsof rearing and testing the wasp at aquarantine facility located at Oregon State University, it is possible thatfield trials may take place in 2016 with potential releases statewide withinthe next few years.

“We need to make sure thatthis natural enemy of the brown marmorated stink bug does not impact our nativebug species,” says Rogg. “If it only targets the invasive species, we can moveahead and perhaps help provide a solution for other areas of theUS where brownmarmorated stink bug have taken hold.”

In the meantime, Oregonianswill continue experiencing the bug over the next few weeks and once again nextyear. There is no need to report sightings to ODA but more information on thebrown marmorated stink bug and other insect pests can be foundat: http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/shared/Documents/Publications/IPPM/BrownMarmoratedStinkBugPestAlert.pdf