How Do You Control Stinkbugs In The Garden?
There are several species of stinkbugs. All adult stinkbugs are shaped like a shield and are green, brown or gray. As a method of self-defense, stinkbugs emit an unpleasant odor that repels many predators. In the garden, stinkbugs feed on okra, squash, beans, tomatoes, soybeans and many other plants. New shoots on the plant wilt and fruit grows distorted, with hard dimpled areas on the surface. Shake your plants over a piece of cloth and count how many stinkbugs fall out to see how bad your infestation is. If you have one or more stinkbug per 1-foot row of plants, you have a problem that requires intervention. Handpick stinkbugs off of your plants in the early morning. Stinkbugs are slower moving in the morning; later in the day they are fast moving and hard to catch. Drop the bugs into a pail of soapy water to kill them. Keep weeds and tall grass in and around the garden to a minimum. Weeds and wild plants are also hosts to stinkbugs. The more hosts available in the area, the greater
