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Talking #stinkbugs on #gardenchat
Last week, we had the honor of guest-hosting #gardenchat, a weekly Twitter-based chat forum hosted by Brenda Haas of BGgarden. Gardening enthusiasts from all walks of life share growing, planting and design tips as well as recipes using the fruits (and vegetables, and herbs) of their labor. Gardenchat is every Monday from 9-10 Eastern Standard Time (6-7 PST).
The topic on November 21 was one we're certainly familiar with: stink bugs! Stink bugs are especially concerning for gardeners because they can destroy everything you plant -- tomatoes, peppers, squash, sunflowers... you name it! The hour went by in a flash-flood of tweets -- 1121 of them, to be exact. The transcript of our chat can be found here.
Among the most common questions (along with some answers not constrained by the 140-character limit) were these:
What do stink bugs look like?
Our favorite answer was "prehistoric tanks", but here's a visual so you can decide what they resemble. 
What is the stink bug life cycle?
The best visual that depicts their life cycle can be found here.
What are the current "hot spots" for stink bugs? Where will they be headed next?
The current heavy infestation areas (what we call the "red zone") for stink bugs include Pennsylvania (which is "stink bug ground zero"), New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. The states that are starting to become more infested are North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and New York.
How do stink bugs migrate?
Stink bugs are great hitchhikers! They can stow away on shipping containers (which is likely how they got to the U.S.) or even in luggage. Some stink bugs were recently found in Texas inside an RV.
Why might I be seeing fewer stink bugs this year?
Odd weather patterns -- like the heat waves and hurricanes in the mid-Atlantic states this summer -- may have had an effect on the nymph population. Also, there was far more spraying of orchards and crops this summer, as farmers tried to get more aggressive against these hardy bugs.
Do stink bugs have any natural predators?
The stink bugs from Asia which are causing the most headaches for people have no natural insect enemies in this country. That's how their numbers have been able to proliferate.
How do we rid our gardens of stink bugs?
You can save your garden before you even plant it next spring by using the RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap to catch the little stinkers when they wake up and start to emerge from houses. Every female can lay up to 400 eggs once she gets outside and starts mating, so the key is to break the cycle by trapping them.
Thanks to Brenda and the #Gardenchat folks for letting us be a part of your conversation!
Post Date:
November 29, 2011
Tags:
#gardenchat, Gardening, stink bug trap, Stink Bugs, twitter
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