Stink Bugs: 52 More in Trap

Another 52 stink bugs

In earlier postings I reported on my experiment with a Rescue Stink Bug Trap.  Two weeks ago I reported that after two weeks the trap contained 106 brown marmorated stink bugs, the lures still were attracting stink bugs, and that I re-hung the trap and would report periodically.

Today was the end of the fourth week the trap has been operating with the original two-week lures, which other trap users had told me attract stink bugs much longer than two weeks.  Late this afternoon I took apart the trap and counted 52 living and dead stink bugs.

The total for my one trap is 158 stink bugs over a four-week period.  I have noticed over the last week or 10 days—most of which have been cloudy with periods of drizzle, showers, or rain—that the stink bugs are much less evident where I had been seeing them in significant numbers.  Our two lilacs a few weeks ago (see my posting of September 1) contained hundreds of congregating stink bugs, and I could find scores any time I looked for them in the Tomato Patch.

Now I see few of them, but when I do, they’re most often on the white trim of our house and, in late afternoon, on its warmer western and northern walls.

I re-hung the trap again after I removed the stink bugs today and I’ll do another count in two weeks.  The weather the next few days will be warm, near 80°F. during the day and the 60s at night, but cooler fall weather will arrive Friday.  Perhaps the cooler temperatures will cause the stink bugs to seek permanent winter cover and fewer will enter the trap.

If you want to read my posting of two weeks ago about how the stink-bug trap worked during the first two weeks, CLICK HERE.