ItB次元官网网址檚 been a prolific pest for gardeners and gardens this summer in parts of the B.C. Interior.

Known to frequent the Okanagan in large numbers, this year, concheula stink bugs have been found throughout the North Shuswap. TheyB次元官网网址檝e been particularly problematic for people with fruit and/or vegetable gardens.

B次元官网网址淚n Kamloops, the garden club people are complaining about them there too. ItB次元官网网址檚 just all over the Interior it seems,B次元官网网址� said the Shuswap Garden ClubB次元官网网址檚 Kathy Crosbie, whose own home garden became a feeding ground for the insects.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 amazing, theyB次元官网网址檒l pick a certain tomato and youB次元官网网址檒l find them all on there, or one beanB次元官网网址� and they seem to almost suck the life out of the bean, and the tomato will turn almost yellow and you can see where theyB次元官网网址檝e been on there,B次元官网网址� said Crosbie. Same with the bean, theyB次元官网网址檒l just sort of suck it I guess until it turns yellow or whatever. And then theyB次元官网网址檒l be on flowersB次元官网网址� they seem to pick certain plants they like.B次元官网网址�

Conchuela stink bugs grow to be about a half-inch long. The adults can be green, brown or dark brown and have an orange/yellow trim.

The insects are known to target vegetables, berries, grapes and other fruits, as well as ornamentals.

B次元官网网址淚 had lots of beans and I thought, theyB次元官网网址檙e just on all of my beans so I pulled all my bean crop out because of them,B次元官网网址� said Crosbie, who sought advice from B.C. Ministry of Agriculture entomologist Susanna Acheampong on how to deal with the bugs.

B次元官网网址淪he said just get a bucket of soapy water and flick them into it and they basically just drown,B次元官网网址� said Crosbie. B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 spray anything. We donB次元官网网址檛 want to get into the spray and I donB次元官网网址檛 know if that would make any difference.B次元官网网址�

Richard and Kresha Faber at Foxfire Farms near Gardom Lake has also been contending with the stink bugs this summer.

B次元官网网址淚 gave up on my raspberries which were covered with them and they sucked the life out of many of our beans and sweet peas,B次元官网网址� said Richard. B次元官网网址淥ur diversity allows us to focus on those crops that are doing well and get over the inevitable losses in some other crops.

B次元官网网址淲e seem to have a different pest problem each season and we try not to use any drastic measures to deal with them which could upset the balance in our system.B次元官网网址�

At Green Croft Gardens in Grindrod, the bugs are present but havenB次元官网网址檛 been as problematic.

B次元官网网址淪o far itB次元官网网址檚 been OK B次元官网网址� we have quite a diverse mix of crops and they seem to be in our currents our most, the black currents,B次元官网网址� said Green CroftB次元官网网址檚 Gabriele Westle. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e picked our currents already and the leaves are all on B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e just in there.

Westle said sheB次元官网网址檚 received phone calls from people asking about the bugs and what to do about them. But she said the garden has been in operation for 30 years, and this is the first year the conchuela stink bugs appeared in such numbers.

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While the bugs have also been a problem for gardens/gardeners in the North Shuswap, Celista Estate WineryB次元官网网址檚 Jake Ootes said theyB次元官网网址檝e yet to appear in great numbers at his vineyard. He suggested that may change when his grapes begin to ripen.

B次元官网网址淭he whites come in probably early to mid-September, and the reds come in early October to late October, somewhere in between there,B次元官网网址� said Ootes. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why IB次元官网网址檓 kind of wondering, OK, whatB次元官网网址檚 going to happen?

B次元官网网址淎t the moment weB次元官网网址檙e OK but IB次元官网网址檓 very worried about itB次元官网网址�B次元官网网址�

Right now, the bugs are just one of several concerns for Ootes, whose winery isnB次元官网网址檛 far from the Lower East Adams Lake wildfire.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e only 15-20 kilometres as the crow flies from the fire, so those two things are bothersome at the moment,B次元官网网址� said Ootes.

If picking/flicking the insects from your garden, Acheampong advises wearing gloves as conchueala stink bugs produce B次元官网网址渇oul-smelling chemicals to prevent predators from eating them, and will produce the same chemicals when handled.B次元官网网址�

Conchuela stink bugs are known to winter hidden under plant debris and other protective cover and emerge in the spring to feed on plants. They begin laying eggs mid-May and continue through the summer. Crosbie said was told thereB次元官网网址檚 a likelihood the bugs will be back again in the Shuswap next summer.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just another cycle weB次元官网网址檙e going through, I guess,B次元官网网址� said Crosbie.

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