Stinkbugs


Stinkbugs: (Size=5/8 inch)
Various species of this pest are found throughout the United States; they are more common in the South. Stinkbugs are shield-shaped, and may be green, brown, or bluish-gray. They give off an unpleasant odor when crushed. Stinkbugs feed on okra, squash, beans, tomatoes, and a number of other plants by sucking out the plant's juices. New shoots may wilt; fruits are distorted with hard, dimpled areas where mouth parts are inserted into them. Adults overwinter in garden debris and in nearby weedy areas. There are several generations per year.

Controls
Spray or dust with approved insecticides, such as neem oil.

Keep weeds down around the graden. Clean up the garden at the end of the season.

Hand-pick early in the morning when bugs are slow to escape.

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