9/13/2010
The Brown Marmorated Stinkbug (BMSB) will be joining Asian Lady Beetle (ALB) in many West Virginia homes this fall as the insects seek shelter from winter weather. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is encouraging homeowners to take action now to protect against severe infestations.
WVDA Entomologist Berry Crutchfield, Ph.D., recommends that homeowners seal all points of entry to a house with caulking, weather stripping, screens or other material. He says to concentrate efforts around doors, windows, foundation, attic vents, seams in siding, under eaves or where pipes and wires enter the structure. Also, homeowners should seal interior entry points to individual rooms, concentrating around windows, vents, light fixtures, electrical outlets, etc.
“These practices are often easier said than done, but are the most reliable long-term control methods,” Crutchfield said.
Pesticides can also help deter the insects, which are generally harmless indoors, but can be major nuisances because of their odor and sheer numbers.
To slow down ALB entry into the home, consider treating logical entry points on the exterior of the home in early October with an insecticide labeled for “structure-invading” insect pests (e.g. Bayer Advanced Home Pest Control, Ortho Bug-B-Gone, Ortho Home Defense, Spectracide Bug Stop, Suspend, Tempo), or look for products with these active ingredients: Bifenthrin, Cyfluthrin, Deltamethrin, Esfenvalerate or Tralomethrin. Follow label directions.
The same chemicals are effective on BMSB, but treatment should be done earlier in the fall because of this insect’s tendency to seek winter shelter earlier than ALB.
During winter months periodically vacuum up visible insects. To avoid odors in the vacuum cleaner, empty and dispose of contents after each session, or use a nylon stocking stuffed into the vacuum hose and secured around the outside with a rubber band to prevent insects from entering the vacuum cleaner. The stocking can then easily be disposed of in an outdoor trash can. “Sticky boards” or flypaper set near lights can also attract and capture active ALB. Insecticide treatments are of little value during winter months, Crutchfield said, because most of the insects will be in inaccessible portions of the home.
Also known as the “Halloween” or “Japanese” lady beetle, the first established population of ALB was discovered in Louisiana in 1988. Since that time, the beetle has increased its range to include most areas of the United States and parts of southern Canada. It was first reported in West Virginia in 1992. Contrary to popular myth, ALB has never been released by WVDA as a biological control agent.
ALB feeds exclusively on aphids and is generally considered to be beneficial to agriculture. On the other hand, BMSB feeds on a wide range of fruit trees and other plants and is currently expanding its range along the eastern U.S. seaboard, making it a growing and dangerous agricultural pest. It had a devastating impact on West Virginia fruit producers last season.
BMSB is thought to have been transported on packing crates imported from Asia. It was first documented in large numbers in 2001 in Allentown, Pa.
For more information, contact Berry Crutchfield at the West Virginia Department of Agriculture at 304-558-2212 or bcrutchfield@ag.state.wv.us.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
Contact Information
Gus R. Douglass
(304) 558-3200