Mild winters could result in greater soy-eating stink bug numbers in Louisiana
BY YOUSSEF RDDAD, The Advocate
Fred Collins is used to warding off pests from his farm fields. But over the years a particular pest has him more on guard because of the potential damage it can cause.
Recently, he found a group of redbanded stink bugs nestled under some clover and weeds at the edge of his soybean field in Avoyelles Parish — an odd find for mid-February. In past growing seasons, he’s sprayed his fields only to come back a few days later to find more.
“We thought we killed them all, and we had to turn around and spray them again,” Collins said. "I let my guard down and they jumped back up on me pretty quick.”
Farmers like him aren’t likely to get much relief this year from the stinky insects, which can wreak havoc on farms as they munch their way from field to field gorging on soybeans and other crops.
Researchers at the LSU AgCenter recently raised alarms about a potentially worse year for redbanded stinkbug infestations because past mild winters haven't put a significant dent in their populations in Louisiana.
Though parts of southern Louisiana have dipped below freezing a few times in the past two years, redbanded stink bugs have withstood the cold because temperatures didn't drop below 20 degrees long enough to kill the neotropical bugs that are native to South America.
“They’re not freezing to death and they have plenty of food,” said Jeff David, an entomologist at the LSU AgCenter. “There’s a good chance these stink bug numbers are going to be pretty high this year.”
He and other researchers are warning farmers to be extra vigilant about safeguarding their fields and taking measures like burning cover crops and checking their bean plants more often.
Stink bugs get their name from the pungent odor they emit to ward off threats. Though they don’t bite or sting, some people have reported reactions like runny noses and other symptoms similar to an allergic reaction.
In Louisiana, they often scurry under protective plant covering in farm fields or ditches in the colder months. Recent winters have provided them with an abundance of plants like clover and other legumes to tide them over until their favorite — soybeans — are growing.
Davis and other researchers predict higher numbers of infestations could also add financial stress on farmers, including higher bills for pesticides and damaged beans.