Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Every bug guy or gal should own one of these microscopes from http://www.zarbeco.com  it is capable of 40x to 140x the size of the target. This is a picture taken with the microscope attached to my computer.

This little bug was on a building that I treated last week in Chandler, Arizona and based on what I know it looks like that Stink Bug that has been causing lots of problems in the Northeast and beyond. This bug is an invasive pest, that is becoming wide-spread in the U.S. and is of concern to farmers. It feeds on a large number of high-value crops and ornamental plants in its immature and adult life stages. The species is native to Asia and was introduced into the United States in the mid-1990s, possibly stowing away in a shipping container.

As of early February 2011, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug had been identified in 36 states and the District of Columbia. It is increasingly becoming a serious pest in fruit and vegetable crops. One area of concern to is that they will try to get into homes creating quite a nuisance especially when the weather turns cool each fall, adult Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs look for wintering sites and can be found on the outsides of buildings or inside near doors, windowsills, and other entry points. They can also be found in leaf litter and vegetation outdoors. In areas where they have become established, they can enter structures by the hundreds. They can congregate almost anywhere, including bookcases; under beds and sofas; in cracks under or behind baseboards, window and door trim; and in attics. These pests will not cause structural damage or reproduce in homes. These bugs don’t bite people or pets. Although they are not known to transmit disease or cause physical harm, some people may be sensitive to pest allergens.