# Stink bugs--yet another reason to grow your own



## Frugal_Farmers (Dec 13, 2010)

This is a link to many of the recent news feature out there about the damage stink bugs are having on crops along the eastern seaboard.

USDA Combats Stink Bugs | wusa9.com

If you look at all of the events imacting our food supply, it is only wise to grow what you can and preserve it yourself.

Flooding--recent Mississippi as well as other floods around the world.

Drought--Texas for one is feeling the heat, but look at the wheat crop in Russia last year.

Tsumani/radiation--Japan's valuable crops has been devestated.

Freezing--Florida crops took a major hit from freezes.

Honey Bees--yes folks they are being impacted by Colony Colapse Disorder. No bees, no food.

Now we have the stink bug that could destroy many more crops in the years to come.

The mainstream media has not published any detailed reports on the loss of crops here in North America and around the world, but food shortages will become big news in the months/years to come.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

I shudder to contemplate how long it will take to recover


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

*"Stink bugs--yet another reason to grow your own"*

The only problem with that is we are overrun with the things. I'm hoping that letting the chickens run in the garden combined with Neem Oil on all the plants gives me a fighting chance at keeping them from destroying everything. They're really bad around here.


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## Frugal_Farmers (Dec 13, 2010)

UncleJoe said:


> *"Stink bugs--yet another reason to grow your own"*
> 
> The only problem with that is we are overrun with the things. I'm hoping that letting the chickens run in the garden combined with Neem Oil on all the plants gives me a fighting chance at keeping them from destroying everything. They're really bad around here.


Our chickens are having a feast on the local cicada bugs. They are a free source of entertainment because wen one of them snag this juicy bug the rest chase her around to share the feast.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

We gathered buckets of cicadas and fed to the chickens they loved it.


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

UncleJoe, DE worked really well for garden bugs last year, but we haven't had the pleasure  of fighting stink bugs yet. I wonder if DE will kill them?


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

I tried DE on the potato bugs last year and had mediocre results. I may try it for the stink bugs and see what happens.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

DW just heard about these traps and is making a couple of them. She does not have them in service yet but we picked up the lights last weekend and she's currently building them in her spare time. The comments under the video have some good ideas in them too. I'll report back after the lights have been used for a while and let "yinz" all know how they work.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Thanks Jason ...

I think I will give that a try!


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## Frugal_Farmers (Dec 13, 2010)

Jason, be sure to let us know how your test goes.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Traps aren't working all that well. We think they'll do a lot better in the Winter when the bugs are concentrated indoors. Since the weather is nice now you see less of them in the house. We're going to keep the traps we made and see what Winter brings next year.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Well they got my last squash plant yesterday then started my cukes. The only way I have found to take care of them ... well, the old time "pick them off by hand". Then put them in a jug with soap and water. 

After a rain (or watering) they come to the top of the plant making them rather easy to get ...


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## power (May 7, 2011)

My stink bugs are different colored. They are the same color as lady bugs. I thought they were lady bugs at first as I didn't look very close. The only garden that has them is one that the chickens and ducks can't get to. They keep them, and everything else out of the rest of the gardens.
Did find a few large caterpillars eating my dill plants.


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

They got all over the squash and cukes.At least a 100 of them,the babies are white,adult dark brown or blackish.

I sprayed em with lemon juice and hair spray a couple weeks ago,so far have'nt seen a one since.We also put them along with the pulled up plants inside black garbage bag and closed,left it in sun to smother them.Sprayed the ground where they were.


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## iPrep (Jun 8, 2011)

I found a few on my plants, I just squished em! Not enough to fret about. I'm more worried about the deer!


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Alright now the dang things are trying to move into my house. :gaah::club::club:

The homemade trap was so so ... so today I bought a trap with the light for the house.

It is now WAR!!! These things have to GO!!!!!!!!!! :gaah:


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Virginia Tech Researchers Find The Best Way to Catch Stink Bugs...

BLACKSBURG, VA - Virginia Tech researchers in the entomology department have studied several different options for catching stinkbugs in your home and came up with one very simple option that will cost you about seven dollars.

After two years of studying three different traps the most effective one involved a turkey roasting pan, half gallon of water, and some dish liquid. (A larger version of the flea trap, which does work on fleas.)

Tom Kuhar and the Virginia Tech Entomology Department are finding answers to questions about stink bugs.

...........

Right now, researchers are planning to go back to China where the bug originated to collect its natural enemies. The idea is to bring those enemies to the United States to fight the problem. .

http://www.wsls.com/story/25140599/virginia-tech-researchers-find-the-best-way-to-catch-stink-bugs

I hope they do some research on the natural enemies before they bring them back ... It would be great if it worked but ... :eyebulge:


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

The local folks that know about these things say that the extended bout of sub-zero temps we had should have done a lot to reduce the population this year. :crossfinger:


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

The reason they say the population has been reduced is because they are all at my house. We suck up about 10 a night and toss em in the fire. We heard they are bringin a new kind over that will eat these ones. Why can't they just leave well enough alone?



Sent from my iPad using Survival Forum


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

UncleJoe said:


> The local folks that know about these things say that the extended bout of sub-zero temps we had should have done a lot to reduce the population this year. :crossfinger:


I'm here to tell you the sub-zero temps ... didn't put a dint in them ... (not in my area, at any rate)

:gaah:


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I haven't seen any here... yet.

Unfortunately our best and brightest, that we taxpayers pay well, will decide to bring a predator over and really screw things up more. That or develop some bacterium in the lab and release that, it is inevitable. Yes, you would thing we, as a species, would have learned by now with our other failures, but, no.


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## Dove150 (Jun 5, 2011)

Here is a picture and article on the kudzu bugs that I fought in my small garden one year. http://timesfreepress.com/news/2013/sep/10/kudzu-stink-bugs-have-arrived/

This article says they are harmless to humans, not really, don't get any of their sink juice in your eyes, it burns like crazy and your eyes will be red and swollen for days.

Year or so ago these things were all over my bean trellis and I made it my mission in life to get rid of them with my wet dry vac. I read somewhere that their only natural enemy here in the USA is black widow spiders. I've got plenty of black widows so I don't know if it was my shop vac or the spiders, I also had a lot of prayers about it. I haven't had another invasion and have only seen a few of them passing by. It is my sincere hope that they continue to pass on by.


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## rf197 (Jul 19, 2009)

Found one in the house the other day even after the brutal NE winter. Unreal.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Oh sure. Rain on my parade.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

This past week I've started seeing them in the house. Ugh.

Yesterday I saw one in a spider web in the corner of the kitchen window. Made me so happy. I'm not going to vacuum that spider web up - that spider can keep her web, she's earned her keep!


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## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

I had an ENTIRE infestation!

One day, about 10 bugs showed up on my porch. The next day, the window was covered! I went out and swept them quickly on the ground and stomped the hell out of them and washed them off. That really must have angered them because a few days later, my entire - and i mean entire-front porch was COVERED ON EVERY SQUARE FOOT of these bugs! I whipped up my batch of homemade bug killer and sprayed my porch for TWO DAYS to finally get rid of them. It has been horrible here with the stink bugs! Even my neighbors have them.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Care to share what is your homemade bug spray recipe?


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

Grandpa has a lot; we get lady bugs.


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## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

goshengirl said:


> Care to share what is your homemade bug spray recipe?


I make a large batch that can fill a 1 gallon sprayer.

I pour 1/4th of a bottle of natural mint extract into the 1-gallon sprayer container. I put about 5 drops of witch hazel extract in the sprayer as well. I then add 6 tablespoons of neem oil and add a few drops of Dawn or any liquid dish soap. I let everything sit for 45-60 minutes and give the container a good shaking and spray.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Thanks! Since I've been using homemade cleaners I feel a lot better. I'd hate to lose ground with a heavy chemical insecticide. Never heard of your recipe before, but it sure looks like a good one to try!


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

IrritatedWithUS said:


> a few days later, my entire - and i mean entire-front porch was COVERED ON EVERY SQUARE FOOT of these bugs!


You may have released their mating pheromones - a little scent is all it takes!


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