Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Compiled by Gail Ruhl, Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is an insect first identified on our continent in fall 2001 in Allentown, PA; however, undetermined sightings likely date as far back as 1996. As of September 2010, Steve Jacobs, Penn State Entomologist, notes that Halyomorpha halys has been reported in numerous counties throughout Pennsylvania as well as confirmed in many other states including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia. As of October 20, we can add Indiana (Elkhart county) to the list of states with BMSB confirmations.

This true bug in the insect family Pentatomidae is known as an agricultural pest in its native range of China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Recently, the BMSB has become a serious pest of fruit, vegetables and farm crops in the Mid-Atlantic region and has the potential to become a pest of these commodities in other areas in the United States.

BMSB becomes a nuisance pest both indoors and out (similar to Asian lady beetles and boxelder bugs) when it is attracted to the outside of houses on warm fall days in search of protected, overwintering sites. BMSB occasionally reappears during warmer sunny periods throughout the winter, and again as it emerges in the spring.

Adult BMSB have the typical "shield" shape of other stink bugs, almost as wide (3/8 inch) as they are long (5/8 inch). Adult BMSB can be distinguished from other species of stink bugs by the alternating dark and light bands on the last two segments of the antennae. The exposed side edges of the abdomen also have alternating light and dark banding.

More links and information on Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Confirmations in Indiana Map (pdf file)

Click image to enlarge