Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Egg Hunt

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) is an invasive insect that was first found in British Columbia in 2015.  This invasive stink bug is a major agricultural pest, as it feeds on more than 100 different plant species including tree fruits, berries, vegetables and ornamental plants.  In British Columbia, they have been commonly found on Asian pears, vegetables and wild chokecherries.  

Like most other invasive species, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug has spread rapidly throughout the Lower Mainland and the interior of British Columbia.  Each summer, females will lay up to 400 eggs on host plants. To overwinter, the invasive stink bugs invade homes and buildings. 

For more information on Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs , how to identify them, and some native look-alikes please click here. 

What is being done?

The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food, along with scientists from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are looking for volunteers to find and collect stink bug egg masses.  Recently, a parasitic wasp, the samurai wasp has been found in BC.  In its native range, this wasp keeps populations of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in check.  The samurai wasp attacks the eggs of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, and researchers are looking to track this wasp, and research its impact on the pest.  In addition, researchers are hoping to study if this parasitic wasp attacks the eggs of any stink bugs native to British Columbia.  But in order to do this, researchers need your help!

What can you do?

Help scientists by looking for clusters of stink bug eggs in June to the end of August! Stink bug eggs are barrel shaped, and found in clusters of 5 to 50 eggs, on the undersides of leaves.  Eggs clusters are generally the size of a dime or smaller.  When you find stink bug egg clusters, send photos, a description of the eggs, date, location and type of host plant to the Brown Marmorated Sink Bug report form.  Collect the eggs you find, and once esearchers confirm if the eggs found are stink bug eggs, send in your eggs.  

Image from B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food