GARDENING: Your home is attractive to bug invaders this time of year

Fall invaders are showing up in large numbers in some parts of the Miami Valley. Yellowjacket wasps, boxelder bugs, brown marmorated stink bugs, and others are trying to get somewhere warm to overwinter and your house is an attractive site.

Brown marmorated stink bugs, or BMSB, have been in our area for a while. They were originally discovered in 1998 in Pennsylvania and have slowly moved east; they are also found on the West Coast. They are a big problem for fruit and vegetable growers and a nuisance for homeowners.

I know I have had BMSB for several years as my tomatoes have exhibited symptoms. Feeding damage hasn’t been a big problem as they tend to discolor the outside of the fruit.

BMSB is a true bug, just like the spotted lanternfly. They insert their mouthparts into the fruit or vegetable and suck juices. They become a big problem when there are high numbers as they cause discoloration in fruits and vegetables.

As a homeowner, we tend to cut out the discoloration or bad parts and still use the fruit as I did with my tomatoes. However, in commercial growing operations, they can’t afford this. The spots may be insignificant initially, but they eventually cause rot and lead to a bad product.

They have been slow to arrive in northern Clark County, but I know they have been around Dayton and areas around Interstate 75 a lot longer. They are a nuisance. When disturbed, they give off an odor.

I was cleaning up my patio furniture after the recent storm and found several of them trying to hide under the cushions for winter. I picked them up and dropped them in a bucket of soapy water.

Stink bug biology makes it hard to use pesticides to eliminate them. You may have success with an exterior spray, but the insecticide doesn’t last long due to the sun breaking it down. The best option is physical removal. They like to gather in hoards and look for sunny areas on the outside of the house. A shop vac can eliminate a good number of them.

Boxelder bug seems to be the other nuisance pest showing up around houses. They are also true bugs and hang out on boxelder (a maple species) and other maples. They don’t cause damage to the plants, but they are looking for a warm overwinter site now.

These bugs are black and have red markings on their body. You may see nymphs (young stages) as well as adults trying to enter the house. The nymphs are almost all red.

Again, physical removal is recommended. It is also recommended that you seal cracks and crevices in the home. This is always a good recommendation but a challenge to be sure.

I haven’t heard much about multicolored Asian ladybeetles, but the cooler weather just started. Let’s see what the season brings.

Pamela Corle-Bennett is the state master gardener volunteer coordinator and horticulture educator for Ohio State University Extension. Contact her by email at bennett.27@osu.edu.

UPCOMING EVENT

What: All Things Landscape Workshop

When: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 19

Where: Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Springfield

Sign up: https://clark.osu.edu/events/all-things-landscape