7-9 FB Stink Bugs

 According to local news 8 in Idaho Falls,there is a new type of pest invading the Gem State. The brown marmorated stink bug is an invasive insect native to China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan that was accidentally introduced to the eastern U.S. in the 1990s. It has recently shown up in Idaho crops after causing a lot of damage on the East Coast.

Stinkbugs are nothing new, but this particular kind popped up in 1998 and will attack up to 300 different types of plants. Here is Idaho State Dept. of Ag entomologist Jodie Ellis: “They can be devastating to crops. The type of crop that they prefer is anything with a skin and flesh. Apples, of which they are horrific tests, I just talked to a gentleman from West Virginia who watched them decimate the West Virginia apple crop. They attack corn, any kind of peach, any of the stone fruits, cherries, grapes, and the list goes on and on. That is partly why these are such a big problem is that they have such a huge host range.”
     Wayne Jones with the University of Idaho Extension office said so far only a few cases have been found in western Idaho, but there is no need for panic