Stink Bugs – Leaf Footed Bug – Traps

I received an email from Pat,  a reader, about a week ago. She’d been doing a little research on the leaf footed bugs (related to stink bugs) and sent me 3 links with some interesting information.  I’m just now getting to read that information in depth and thought that you could benefit from some of what I found out.

I’ll cover Pat’s first  link in this post. It tells about a trap for stink bugs (http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/MizellRF/stink_bugs/stink_bugs.htm) Although I think the trap was invented with fruit orchards in mind, it can be used in the garden as well.

The Inventor tells about the Trap

The article is written by Dr. Russell F. Mizell, III professor of Entomology who invented the trap. He says  it’s captured 20 species of stink bugs, 7 species of leaf-footed bugs and 6 assassin bugs (a beneficial) and an ambush bug species and other miscellaneous species of insects. There are pictures of 12 of the various bugs on the site — including the leaf footed bug and several of the stink bugs that most of us know and hate.

Since he specifically stated that, “—we lack suitable attractants for many pest species.” — I assume that a lure was not used to attract most of these bugs.  Evidently they are attracted by the yellow of the trap itself.

He also states that “Unfortunately, the trap also captures beneficial insects —”

Mizell gives pictures and specifics of the trap in case you want to make one.  He also notes that the trap base can be purchased in a dark color, and gives a certain color of yellow that it should be painted  to attract stinkbugs.

There is a pheromone lure that can be used with the traps to dramatically increase the catch of certain species. (This pheromone is like the chemical substance produced by stink bugs to attract other stink bugs.)

The Company with Exclusive Rights to Produce and Sell

Dr. Mizell sold the exclusive rights to produce and sell the traps to agbio-inc.com and thus provides a link for that site. (http://www.agbio-inc.com/) Once there I clicked on “Stink Bug Trap and Lure” at the bottom of the page.

This agbio site assumes that you will be using the pheromone lure with the trap and tells you “When and How to use the Dead-Inn stink bug traps. ”  There’s some interesting information there even if you’re not interested in the trap; so be sure and take a look at it here.

To Actually Buy the Trap

To actually buy the trap and/or lure a button is provided to click on.  That takes you to another site: http://www.ecogreenwarehouse.com/products/DEAD-INN-Stink-Bug-Trap.html

There it’s stated that the lure only attracts Brown Marmorated, Green, or Native Brown (specifically Euschistus servus, E. conspersus, E. heros, E. obscurus, E. tristigmus) stink bugs.  Keep in mind that Dr. Mizell (at http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/MizellRF/stink_bugs/stink_bugs.htm) indicated the trap had captured over 2 dozen varieties without the lure.

The seller also states, “The trap was designed so that beneficial insects are not attracted. ” Strange, because Dr. Mizell specifically stated that the traps attract beneficials.  I don’t see any difference in the design of the trap on either site.

The page gives more information on How to Use the Trap that is not given on the agbio – inc. site.

My Conclusion about the Trap

Whether or not it’s worth the money to buy and try the lure and/or traps depends on how much damage is being done by stink bugs in your garden. And whether or not it fits your budget.

It would not be advantageous for me to invest in one, but if I had the skills and materials to build one — I definitely would.  It would be worth a try to place several (without the lure) 10 feet from the garden as they recommend and see how many bugs I could catch.

Pat’s other 2 Links

In the other two links Pat provided, there was some excellent information on identifying the leaf footed bug’s eggs.  Also there’s some information on trap crops that you should keep in mind.

I’ll cover that information next time.

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