Stink Bugs And Tomato Challenge

[Gardeneer]

For the first time, I have Stink Bug Problem.
They suck the juice out of tomatoes leaving a white sponge like texture behind.
I don't even see them on tomatoes. Now and then I see one flying and landing on the ground ( I smash them).
So this pest is like Flea Beetle . They've got wings and fly.
Now my question to you: How do you deal with SB ?

[b54red]

Right now I am just spot killing the few that have shown up this year that I have seen. For the spot killing I just mix up a quart spray bottle with 2 tsp of Dawn dishwashing liquid and a strong dose of Permethrin and just spray them as I spot them. When they become a real problem which I am sure they will as they have the last few years then I will pull out the big guns and slaughter them. As I have mentioned before the same recipe of Permethrin (strong dose), Dawn dish washing liquid and food grade diatomaceous earth and spray my tomatoes and bell peppers from top to bottom. After I do this I will find dead stink bugs all over the place but this is a last resort because it wipes out the beneficials also. I hate to use it too early in the season because right now I have had a resurgence of lady bugs and they are doing a fairly good job of eliminating aphids. This is the same recipe I use for spider mites, massive invasions of aphids, and leaf footed bugs but only when they get really bad which is usually later in the season when most of the beneficial insects have moved on. It is best to use this a daylight or sunset with sunset preferred because honey bees seem to swarm my garden flowers right at sunup and for the next few hours so spraying at sundown is better.

Bill

[Gardeneer]

Thanks Bill.
So for now I will be on the look out to do spot killing.
Where do you buy Permethrin and food grade DE?
Around here we have just Lowes and WM. Ok, there is also a Feed n Seed place.

[gorbelly]

I haven't had big problems with them, but I hear Surround/kaolin on the fruit is effective at deterring them.

[BigVanVader]

Originally Posted by gorbelly

I haven't had big problems with them, but I hear Surround/kaolin on the fruit is effective at deterring them.

Yes it helps but only if you start early. Once you have a population you will need to resort to nuclear options.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Yes it helps but only if you start early. Once you have a population you will need to resort to nuclear options.

Well, I don't have/see a big herd of them. But most of the few ripe tomatoes that I have picked are enjoyed by the SB.

[BigVanVader]

Worth trying. Its just clay and seems to help lots of stuff but is a bit ugly to look at.

[Spartanburg123]

Gardeneer- permethrin is available at Home Depot and Lowe's. It kills many insects, including termites, carpenter ants, and most certainly stink bugs.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by Spartanburg123

Gardeneer- permethrin is available at Home Depot and Lowe's. It kills many insects, including termites, carpenter ants, and most certainly stink bugs.

Thanks for the info, Darin.
I will check @ Lowes the next time I am in Whiteville. .

[Rockporter]

I can't find the stink bugs on my tomatoes either but they are wining and dining big time.

[b54red]

You have to really inspect a plant closely to find stink bugs on them especially the green ones. They are nearly invisible since they blend in so well. I find that handling the plant while looking closely is the best way. The stink bugs will move around a stem or under a leaf when they feel threatened and are a lot like trying to spot squirrels when they feel threatened. I have found all of the ones I have killed while handling the plants. The leaf footed bugs were much easier to spot since in the juvenile stage they tend to cluster together and move together and being bright orange doesn't hurt seeing them.

I ordered a fifty pound bag of food grade DE online a few years ago and have used quite a bit of it. I have dusted it in all the corners and under things in the house, garage, dog shed, shed and on plants. I find it is very good at killing roaches and other insects that crawl through it and it helps kill fleas in the dog house. We had an invasion of carpenter ants two years ago during a real rainy spell and it was very effective at getting rid of them in no time. I just dusted it heavily into the crack they were entering the house from and all along their trails and in no time they were gone and haven't come back. It worked far faster than poisons I have used in the past for them.

I don't remember where I got my Permethrin but I got a 10% strength bottle and it has lasted for years. Just make sure that it doesn't have any other chemicals in it other than inert ingredients. There are some mixes of Permethrin that have some other chemicals to make it longer lasting and more deadly that you don't want to use in your garden. The varieties that are usually okay for the garden are also recommended for dipping pets for fleas, and treating other animals. If it is a version for termites or carpenter ants it is probably the kind you don't want to use.

Bill

[brownrexx]

Food grade DE is available at Tractor Supply if you have those. I just bought a big container yesterday. They have it in the area where they sell the medications for chickens. I also use it in my chicken coop.

[Gardeneer]

I was at Lowes today. They have DE powder in a bag.
Is its active ingredient "Silicon " something ? . If it works, I don't care if it is food grade. I am not using inside or around animals.
I was also at Tractor Supply. I bought a container of Sevin Concentrate liquid bug/insect killer but I don't think it kills stink bugs. I bought it mainly to combat grasshoppers. There are zillions of them everywhere and my garden is adjacent to pasture and grass area.

[garyjr]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I was at Lowes today. They have DE powder in a bag.
Is its active ingredient "Silicon " something ? . If it works, I don't care if it is food grade. I am not using inside or around animals.
I was also at Tractor Supply. I bought a container of Sevin Concentrate liquid bug/insect killer but I don't think it kills stink bugs. I bought it mainly to combat grasshoppers. There are zillions of them everywhere and my garden is adjacent to pasture and grass area.

Gardeneer.. The pasture and grass area nearby could certainly be the culprit. I had and overgrown area next to my garden last year that I didn't tend to well and had stink bugs bad. If you see them on the fruit then there are certainly many more. Best to use the nuclear option now rather than later. Good luck.

[Worth1]

Spread 1 inch of 4831 on the garden light with a match and stand back, way back.
Worth