By Leslie Cox
Special for the Record
Thank you to all the wonderful readers who contacted me with sightings of the marmorated brown stink bug in their homes, on their decks, climbing up the sides of their homes. I think it’s safe to say that BMSBs are here in the valley. Phew. now what?
Well, we definitely need to think about doing something to control these pests because they are known to feed on more than 100 species of plants. And since BMSBs are native to Asia, there aren’t many predators here to keep them in line.
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No important beneficial insects to keep BMSBs under control caused an estimated $37 million loss to the apple industry in the Mid-Atlantic States in 2010, claims a page on a BC government website entitled “Brown Marmorated Stik Bug (BMSB) Pest”. Alert.” There is no mention of the size of the apple industry overall, but a loss of $37 million seems significant.
Unfortunately, his appetite isn’t strictly for apples. They also love pears, peaches, grapes, all kinds of berries, cherries, vegetables (including corn and tomatoes), hazelnuts, almonds, English holly, maple, elder, white ash, catalpa and buckthorn. I would hazard a guess that there are likely even more plant species that the BMSBs could develop a hunger for in their new country.
Fortunately, breeding is not as prolific in North America, with one or two generations per year compared to up to six generations per year in their native Asia. But the full extent of a population explosion is achieved when a single female BMSB can lay up to 400 eggs in one summer and the second generation of females adds their 400 eggs to the record in the same season. Not as bad as aphid reproduction numbers, but still pretty robust.
As some readers have discovered, adult BMSBs prefer warm, dry conditions where they can hibernate comfortably. As soon as the temperatures start to drop and the daylight hours decrease, these unwanted house guests may become very comfortable. They won’t do any damage to your home, but evicting them can be daunting if there are enough of them. You certainly don’t want to crush or vacuum them… or you’ll soon find out why they’re labeled “stinky bugs.” Not something you want to expose yourself to if you’re sensitive to scents.
There is good news, though. Four years ago a parasitic wasp species was found feasting on BMSB eggs in Chilliwack. Correctly identified as Trissolcus japonicus, this wasp has managed to follow its favorite food source from its native Asia to Canada. Quite appropriately, this wasp is commonly called the samurai wasp.
And according to the British Columbia Government website, ladybugs, ladybirds and spiders will also feed on BMSB eggs. There may be some hope that BMSBs will not become too unruly a pest.
Not so the American bullfrog, though. Just put another notch on my belt with the recent catch of another one in our pond. It was a decent size – about four inches from nose to ass. Definitely of breeding age, but a male by his yellow throat.
I suspect it was a late migration addition from the field pond behind us that made the mistake of basking among the pond lilies on a fine afternoon when I saw it. However, the water was cold enough to slow his reactions. Either that or my butterfly net stalking skills are getting pretty good.
Leslie Cox is co-owner of Growing Concern Cottage Garden in Black Creek. Her website is www.duchessofdirt.ca.
Gardening of the Comox Valley