permaculture

[Patrick McKown <identi1956@yahoo.com>]

Use a neem extract. Spray under the leaves. 

Stink bugs will feed in areas breached by other phytophagus insects. The neem 
will kill other
species and reduce these feeding opportunities. In the damaged tissue 
(browned or white areas) of
the plant water is sponged and the neem will concentrate there also. These 
areas are often used as
water holes by insects.

Diatomaceous earth use a hand_crank duster. The amount put down should be 
barely visible.These
skeletons of diatoms will cause the dehydration of stink bugs. Essentially 
they are bags of water.
They will be water stressed and die during the day in the Sun. Apply on the 
whole plant and at
their bases. The diatoms will become a permanent part of your growing system. 
Their utility will
continue for years to come.

Nematodes (STEINERNEMA CARPOSCAPSAE) foliar application. At night. Spray 
inside plants, under
cover. They will swim in condensing humidity and curl up during the day. This 
will give them time
to post themselves on the stems of the plant and 
set up to ambush traveling stink bugs. A night application will usually show 
dead bugs on the
garden floor by morning. Only on infecting nematode is needed to kill one 
bug. Start application
at sun down. 

Can be to applied also after a rain. These worms can travel 30m in any 
direction as long as they
can swim.

Stink bugs are less easily disturbed at night. Also because of lower temps 
their response is
slower and you will be more likely to hit them with a spray application 
directly. If you use a
flash light to guide. Put a yellow filter over the lens, this will not alert 
them.

If you mulch your plants in the Spring and Fall applications of nematodes 
will kill bugs taking
cover and especially for over wintering. Less will emerge in Spring. Because 
the mulch is warmer
you can apply even during frosts. It is not to late. 

There are other things you can do but this will give you quick results.


Pat McKown



 
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