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by Jackie Lee - July 7, 2017
Stink Bug: Monitoring and Management
It’s time to monitor for stink bugs in Pecan. Last year, besides pecan scab, this was the most damaging pest of pecan in Arkansas. Monitoring/management should begin when the pecans are in the water stage. Feeding in earlier stages can also cause damage such as pecan drop and blackening of the kernel. Last year stink bug populations peaked in mid-late June and mid-late August.
The plants surrounding your pecan orchard will influence stink bug populations. Stink bugs will favor feeding on the seed heads of grasses and weeds. These plants are very attractive to stink bugs and they will stay in these areas and reproduce. When they have depleted this food source, they will move into your pecans. If you can limit the amount of host plants around your orchard it will help manage the population. Many growers will mow frequently or plant cover crops like clover, which are both great ways to help manage stink bug habitat to help decrease the population.
Surrounding crops will influence stink bug populations in your orchard especially soybeans and other row crops harvested when pecans are at a vulnerable stage. It has also been noted that sometimes when adjacent fields of crops are sprayed (soybeans etc.) that adult stink bugs from those fields can move to another field, or your pecans. Keep open communication with your neighbors so you can be prepared to put out a spray if needed during crop harvest. Monitoring with pyramid traps can be very useful in these situations to stay ahead of this pest.
Pyramid traps can be used in numerous crops. They are hard to find ready to buy so here are some instructions on how to make them and use them to monitor stink bugs in pecan.
How to Construct a Homemade Stink Bug Trap
You will need:
Brown stink bug lure (you should also use a green stink bug lure if you have a problem with them, but brown is more common). Buy green and brown lures here: http://www.agbio-inc.com/dead-inn-pyramid-trap.html, http://www.agbio-inc.com/contact-us.html, or by phone 303-469-9598. You can also buy brown stink bug lures at Great Lakes IPM http://www.greatlakesipm.com/ or 800-235-0285.
Figure 1. Yellow trap body sections with measurements and screen trap top with measurements.
How to Construct (Figure 1):
Figure 2. Stink bug trap installed at a pecan orchard.
Using your stink bug traps:
Commercial Trap Options:
Figure 3. Dead Inn trap top.