Aug 6, 2012

Stink bugs are on the move in Oregon

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) has been found in the Hood River, Ore., area.

Dangerously close to some of the state’s major fruit-producing regions, BMSB is spreading faster than anticipated, said Oregon State University (OSU) entomologist Peter Shearer. It was Shearer who initially found BMSB in Hood River, near train tracks — a perfect way for the “hitchhiking” bug to travel, Shearer said.

BMSB has been in Oregon since at least 2004. It was discovered in Portland and spread south to the Medford area, east to Arlington and north into Washington state.

Evidence shows the bugs are spreading farther than previously thought. This latest find puts the bugs close to cherry and pear regions, causing severe concerns for growers after the damage BMSB caused in mid-Atlantic states, Shearer said.

“BMSB is definitely on the move and spreading,” Shearer said. “I suspect that it may be a couple-few years before we find it in mid-Columbia orchards, but this may be the year that we detect it in crops in the Willamette Valley.”

Researchers across the country are working on fixing the BMSB problem. One possible solution is a wasp that is a native predator of BMSB in Asia. Also, a trial with an experimental pheromone – used to attract and trap the bug – is ongoing, said Tracy Leskey, a research entomologist with USDA.

Shearer encouraged the public to bring suspect bugs to their local Extension offices, in hopes of helping OSU delineate its spread.

“We prefer live insects,” he said. “At least one look-alike species is a beneficial predatory stink bug, and we can use these specimens for related research.”

Oregon growers have been alerted to the latest BMSB developments through OSU Extension, Shearer said.

By Derrek Sigler, Assistant Editor