Q: I have noticed a huge explosion in the population of stink bugs. I was assuming the cold weather would drive them away. How are they expanding so fast and are they going to be a nuisance?

A: Like other invasive species, stinkbug populations expand rapidly when conditions are good. The weather for this new pest has been great in Georgia for three years running. The brown marmorated stinkbug is a terrible pest in the Northeast. They will definitely be a nuisance in Georgia. They feed on all fruits, making pockmarks in the skin. These creatures, along with their kudzu bug kin, have made us a “stinky state”! I have details on brown marmorated stinkbug at BMSB in GA.

These insects are tough to control. Read the labels for spinosad (click for sources), carbaryl (click for sources) or permethrin (click for sources) to see if they might be useful.

BMSB on peach

BMSB damage on peach