The brown marmorated stink bug is an invasive pest species that, for many years, has wreaked havoc in the agricultural industry across the globe. Whilst this pest has made its way across continents, there are some countries such as Australia and New Zealand where the BMSB is not native. As such, it is essential to identify and eliminate this pest before it can travel on cargo and in containers.
In this article, we will be discussing how you can identify brown marmorated stink bug eggs and how best to manage this pest species.
What do BMSB Eggs look like?
Identifying a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is relatively easy as they have a distinctive ‘shield’ shaped body, but identifying eggs can be trickier. Many species eggs can look alike, but BMSB eggs will typically be white, pale green or light blue in colour with a barrel-like shape. They are usually 1mm in diameter and are laid in groups of anywhere between 20 to 30 eggs.
Female stink bugs can lay up to 500 eggs in their lifetime and produce several egg broods in one year, making them a challenging pest to deal with.
Where do BMSB lay their eggs?
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug eggs are usually laid on the underside of leaves to help disguise and hide them. As the embryos grow and develop, they can sometimes become more visible through the egg and often, you will see the eyes appear as two red dots.
Once hatched, the nymphs that will be 2.4 mm in length, with a black head and thorax and a red abdomen, will aggregate near their egg clutch.
Where do stink bugs lay eggs in a house?
Typically, Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs will not lay eggs in a house, but they are one of the most likely pests to invade a home. During the autumn and winter months, BMSB will come into homes to hibernate. Once nested, their metabolism will drastically slow down, meaning they barely move for the next few months. Once the Spring rolls around, they will leave your property searching for green leaves to lay eggs underneath.
How do I get rid of them?
Whilst the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug exists year-round, they are often sighted when the weather gets warmer in the spring and summer months. You are likely to spot BMSB eggs during this time, and they must be dealt with as soon as possible.
It may be tempting to squish any eggs or stink bugs you come across, but this is not recommended, particularly if indoors. Stink bugs are named so for a reason and will often let off an awful smell likened to a skunk or rotten eggs if threatened or squashed.
To ensure that both the eggs and adult stink bugs are effectively eliminated, it is always advisable to seek out the services of a professional BMSB Fumigation Service to assess and evaluate the problem.
Get in touch
If you are concerned about Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs on your cargo or have any questions about meeting the import requirements for Australia and New Zealand, please don’t hesitate to contact our team. If you would like to find out more about our UK Fumigation Services or have any questions, speak with our team today on 01513456854 or email us at info@urbanhawks.co.uk.