INSECT PESTS
 |
 |
 |
| Eggs and newly hatched nymphs; Photo by David R. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ |
Nymph; Photo by David R. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ |
Adult; Photo by David R. Lance, USDA APHIS PPQ |
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys, is an exotic pest native to Asia. It was first introduced to the United States in 1996 in Pennsylvania. It has since been reported in 40 states including all states east of the Mississippi River, Oregon, California, Minnesota, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nebraska, and Iowa. It has been intercepted in North Dakota, but so far has not been reported to cause damage or as a nuisance pest. This pest easily hitch-hikes around so spread is inevitable. BMSB is very mobile and can quickly switch hosts. They will move from early-ripening crops to later maturing ones. Almost any plant could be at risk.
BMSB has a wide host range in North America. Of particular interest to our region are apple, crabapple, cherry, currant, maple, linden, serviceberry, honeysuckle and rose. It can affect garden crops including peppers, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, grapes and probably many more. It is also a pest of agronomic crops such as soybean and corn. BMSB can also be a indoor pest in the late fall, much like the boxelder bug. They congregate in large numbers in homes looking for a warm place to overwinter.
Description – BMSB like other stink bugs are a “true bug” and therefore have the typical shield-shape. They are approximately 5/8th inch long and 3/8th inch wide. The top-side of their body is mottled shades of brown and grey. The underside of the body is white or light grey. They also have dark blue or copper puncture marks on their heads and dark red eyes. The BMSB can be distinguished from other stink bugs by the alternating light and dark bands on their antennae.
Damage – Stink bugs feed by sucking plant juices with their straw-like mouthparts. On leaves, this feeding will appear as light colored stippling that can turn necrotic over time. On fruit, the feeding causes a distortion that is referred to as “cat-facing” and makes the fruit unusable as a fresh product. In bean the damage usually occurs on the immature beans and pods.
Report any suspect insects to:
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture
at 701-328-4765 or 701-239-7295
OR
NDSU Extension at 701-231-7908
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
EAB has NOT been detected in North Dakota.
Unfortunately, it is believed that EAB may reach the state in the coming years.
More about Emerald Ash Borer
The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) was brought to the U.S. in 1869 to experiment with silk production. Populations soon established and the pest has been expanding in distribution since. Adult females are not able to fly. Gypsy moth larvae spin a thread of silk and disperse in the wind. It is estimated that this natural spread would be about 2 miles per year. The actual rate of spread has been much greater due to human aid, primarily by movement of nursery stock and automobiles.
 |
 |
 |
| Egg Masses:Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive |
Larva: Bill McNee, Wisconsin Dept of Natural Resources |
Adult male and female: John H. Ghent, USDA Forest Service |
No gypsy moths were captured in traps in North Dakota in 2005-2013. In the past several years, infestations have been found in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, more recently large numbers of moths have been caught in the arrowhead region. Steps are being taken to slow gypsy moth spread. Trees, Christmas trees, shrubs and logs from quarantined areas must be certified before movement. State and federal agencies use pheromone traps to detect outlying populations. Eradication measures are taken if outlying sites are determined to have established gypsy moth populations. Since 1993, officials have implemented a “Slow the Spread” program that uses intensive sampling and precise population control techniques. The program is concentrated on a 100 mile wide band bordering the generally infested area. The rate of spread has been about half as fast since implementation of the program. This program has been implemented in the arrowhead region of Minnesota since 2003.
Gypsy moths feed on a wide range of trees and shrubs and could be transported on any nursery stock or Christmas trees brought into the state from quarantined areas. Closely inspect and monitor stock received from these areas and ensure shipments are accompanied by a federal certificate or stamp demonstrating compliance.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Gypsy Moth
Gypsy Moth in North America
Slow the Spread of the Gypsy Moth
ND Invasives: Gypsy Moth
Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) was first discovered in the United States in New Jersey in 1916. A native of Japan, the beetle occurs in all states east of the Mississippi River. Japanese beetles attack a broad range of host material including nearly 300 species of plants. The adult beetle will feed on field crops, ornamentals, trees, shrubs and garden plants, severely defoliating and skeletonizing the host plants. The larvae will feed on the roots of turf grasses and field crops (especially corn and soybeans) as well as organic matter in the soil, severely damaging golf courses, lawns and pastures. The Japanese beetle is a highly destructive plant pest that can be very difficult and expensive to control.
Japanese beetle adults are about ½ inch long with the male slightly smaller than the female. The insects are metallic green in color with bronze wing covers called elytra. Adults begin to emerge mid-June with peak emergence occurring approximately 3 to 4 weeks after initial emergence. The female beetle will burrow into the soil during the day to lay eggs, laying up to 60 eggs in her 2 month lifespan. Eggs will hatch in about two weeks. Larvae, which are about 1 inch long and cream colored with a brown head, will live in the soil, feeding on plant roots. The insect will overwinter as third instar larvae below the frost line and will pupate and emerge the following spring.
Related Resources
 |
 |
 |
| Larval Galleries; Photo Credit: Robert Dzwonkowski |
Adult; Photo Credit: Pest and Diseases Image Library |
Damage; Photo Credit: Steve Passoa, USDA APHIS PPQ |
Currently the Pine Shoot Beetle is not found in North Dakota.
Additional Information
Fact Sheet
Quarantine Area
First reported occurrence of Pine Shoot Beetle map
USDA common Pine Shoot Beetle
 |
 |
 |
| Photo by: Gevork Arakelian, Ph.D. Los Angeles County, Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures |
Photo by: Elizabeth Beers, Washington State University |
Photo by: Hannah Burrack, North Carolina State University |
Spotted wing drosophila, a major fruit pest introduced from southeast Asia, has been discovered in North Dakota for the first time in 2013. Adult specimens were submitted to the NDSU Plant Diagnostic Lab from Carrington in Foster County and positively identified as SWD.
SWD was first detected in the continental U.S. in California in 2008 and has since spread to other fruit-producing regions of the country. SWD pierces seemingly healthy fruit, and lays its eggs. The eggs hatch in about 3 days and the larvae feed on the fruit. Early detection by gardeners and growers is critical because symptoms often do not appear until after the fruit is harvested and in the hands of the consumer. Commonly confused with the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, SWD differs as it attacks unripe to ripe fruit, whereas the common fruit fly feeds on overripe and rotting fruit. SWD most commonly affects raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, honeyberries, grapes, hardy kiwi, cherries, plums, and peaches.
Treatments are available for SWD if detected early. Different chemical classes must be rotated, as the insect is capable of many generations in one growing season and may develop resistance.
It is impossible to identify SWD without adult specimens. If you believe you have found SWD, samples should be submitted to the North Dakota State University (NDSU) Plant Diagnostic Lab, http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pdl/.
For more information and photos or how to create your own trap, visit these links.
http://bugs.osu.edu/welty/pdf/SWD_Ohio_handoutV8.pdf
http://www.ipm.msu.edu/invasive_species/spotted_wing_drosophila
Pest Survey and Outreach Contacts