RE: SteemitPhotoChallenge Nature Macro II - Entry 2 - Brown marmorated stink bug.
No, no, no!!! Not the Brown Marmorated Stinkbug! I like insects and I can live with other stinkbugs, but this Brown Marmorated Stinkbug is changing my life! It's a new invasive in many areas and it's a mess! The stripes on its antenna are the key ID feature to distinguish it from others with a similar-looking body. They showed up up in my area just last summer.
The Brown Marmorated Stinkbug causes so much damage in apples and pears, peaches, too. Wherever it puts its sucking mouthparts, the fruit makes scar tissue that is deformed and hard as a rock. They over-winter in any tiny crevice. Folks are scrambling to figure out how to deal with these pests without spraying. I am going to have to change how I prune my trees and so much more. =>8O
Nice post, though. ; )
Oh thanks! I didn't know I have to look at the antennas. I was trying to find one that looked exactly like my one in google and I think I got it right :)
I had no clue they are so bad! I found this one in my mums garden but on a barberry bush. There are apple and peach trees nearby. The apple are very old and don't give almost any fruits anymore - but they are pretty trees and we keep them for now. Peaches are young and should have fruits (not this year since the frost killed the flowers).
Bad bad beasts! Other stink bugs don't do damage?
Thanks! :)
Our native stink bugs are kept in check by birds, so I don't see them very much at all. And they are more interested in soft fruits, like grapes or blackberries. And there are plenty of those to share, lol.
And congratulations on your Steemit PhotoChallenge award for your terrible stinkbug! It's a great photo, for sure!
Thanks! At least he did a good job there ;) haha
I remember there were always those bugs in grains when it was time to pick it (don't know the English word for it)