• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • paul wheaton
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Leigh Tate
  • Devaka Cooray
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Matt McSpadden
  • Jeremy VanGelder

Green vegetable bug / stink bug (Nezara viridula) questions/control

 
Posts: 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hello guys!

Today I've seen this type of stink bug for the first time (zone - Romania). During midday I was checking the blackberries and I saw a handful of insects on a few leaves (both on blackberry leaves and a bindweed's). I thought they were just some native species hanging out, but after identifying them online, turns out it's not the case.
The orchard is relatively small and for the last 5-6 years pesticides/herbicides have been moderately applied, but this year I managed to convince the owner to let me manage it. Surprisingly, even after the immediate cessation of pesticide usage, aphids have been virtually neutralized from the whole orchard, especially by the ladybug larvae.

Now, back to the stink bugs, what's the best way to deal with those? I searched them up online but not many things come up. Are there any natural predators that would get the job done in my region or should I instead deal with them personally? Any tips on making it harder for them to survive winter?
Almost all of them were in the third instar. How exactly do they cause damage? I can't find any significant marks on any of the blackberries, most of which are unripe. About 5 meters from the blackberry plant on which I've seen them, there's another one which is older, bigger and with more mature fruit. No sign of damaged leaves or berries on that one either.
20190623_183631.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20190623_183631.jpg]
 
Posts: 576
Location: Richwood, West Virginia
12
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
According to Wiki what you photographed is a gathering of immature stink bugs that stay together on the host plant until maturity at 5 weeks of age. Those are 3-4 weeks old.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nezara_viridula#Life_history
 
catch it before it slithers away! Oh wait, it's a tiny ad:
A PDC for cold climate homesteaders
http://permaculture-design-course.com
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic