Over the past week we have been finding increased numbers of stink bugs in soybean fields.  Most of these stink bugs were green, southern green and red-banded stink bugs.

My preferred method to scout for stink bugs is the sweep net, but a good alternative is the drop cloth. As a last resort, you can shake the plants over the furrow and see what falls onto the ground. The disadvantage of shaking on the ground is you may miss some of the insects that can fall into cracks or under leaf litter.

The base economic threshold for stink bugs in soybeans is 36 stink bugs per 100 sweeps (1 per foot of row).  However, the economic thresholds for stink bugs vary by the predominant species being found. If you are finding Red-Banded Stink Bugs, its ET is 12 per 100 sweeps.

(Photo by: M. O. Way)

Effective control of stink bugs can be accomplished with acephate and pyrethroid insecticides. The pyrethroids are effective for control of green and southern green but may only suppress brown and red-banded stink bugs.

For more information about insect management in soybeans follow this link to “Managing Soybean Insects in Texas.”