The arrival of the warm season, along with flowers and fruits, also brings annoying insects which can sometimes cause considerable damage to our green spaces.

One of the most dangerous is undoubtedly the Asian stink bug (Halyomorpha halys), a parasite that can cause major damage to the plants you grow on your balcony and in your vegetable garden.

The brown marmorated stink bug is native to East Asia and has recently spread to Europe and the United States.

This insect is known for its ability to adapt to various environments and for its high fertility, which allows it to proliferate rapidly.

In addition to direct damage to plants, in fact, the Asian bug is known for its invasive behaviour even inside homes.

During the autumn, it seeks refuge in warm places to spend the winter, often finding shelter in houses and causing problems for the inhabitants.

A real threat to your vegetable patch and your garden… but that’s not all!

How to recognise Asian stink bug attacks

The brown marmorated stink bug feeds on a wide range of plants, including fruit trees, vegetables and ornamental plants.

In fact, it can feed on more than 300 plant species, including fruit trees (pear, peach, apple, kiwi, walnut, hazelnut, cherry, apricot), plants and vegetables such as corn, soy, tomato, pepper and aubergine.

It can also attack ornamental and forest plants, in particular ash, ailanthus, paulownia, maple, black locust and dogwood. The infestation starts from a hedge (where the bugs can lay many eggs undisturbed) and then spreads to the entire green area.

The insects are in all respects similar to the more common green stink bug but are brownish in colour. However, the symptoms of a Halyomorpha halys infestation appear on the plants themselves.

If your vegetable patch or garden were to fall victim to such an infestation, you would quickly see the following appear:

• deformations and spots on the fruit
• withered leaves
• widespread fungal attacks
• signs of suffering

Unfortunately, stink bugs are very difficult insects to combat because they quickly develop resistance to insecticides, even chemical ones. Furthermore, they lay very many eggs rapidly, reproducing in a very short time.

How to use pheromone traps to prevent infestations

Insecticides suitable for this type of insect are highly toxic and dangerous, unsafe to use in domestic spaces, especially in the presence of children and pets.

So the only real action we can take is to prevent infestation, for example by using specific pheromone-based traps.

These types of traps are:

• non-hazardous and non-toxic to people and pets
• free from chemical insecticides
• environmentally friendly

Pheromone traps will allow you to monitor for the potential presence of stink bugs in your garden or on your balcony, so that you can intervene promptly before it’s too late!

To protect your plants from the Asian stink bug, inVerde offers an effective solution: the Cymatrap Garden trap.

The Cymatrap Garden pheromone trap is equipped with a specific attractant for the Asian stink bug.

Its particular pyramid shape favours the capture of the juvenile stages and subsequently that of the adult bug.

It is the perfect solution for gardens, small vegetable patches and home orchards but it is also perfect for balconies which house plants vulnerable to this type of attack.

Easy to use, this trap is non-toxic and contains no insecticides, making it safe for both animals and the environment.

Don’t wait for the brown marmorated stink bug to damage your plants!

Act now with the solutions proposed by inVerde to keep your garden and vegetable patch healthy and lush thanks to inVerde products!