What is BMSB?

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) or BMSB is an invasive stink bug that originates from Eastern Asia, including China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Since the early 00’s the bug has undergone a rapid expansion across the world. In the United States, the brown marmorated stink bug has emerged as a major pest of tree fruits and vegetables, causing millions of dollars’ worth of crop damage and control costs each year.

 

Due to its adaptability to human-made structures the BMSB has become quite the hitchhiker. The movement of desirable overwintering sites, such as cargo containers and other transportable objects, has been implicated in its rapid spread across the globe.

 

The life of a brown marmorated stink bug starts in a 1-mm diameter light green or blue egg located in clutches of approximately 28 eggs on the underside of leaves of host plants. As the embryo develops it may become visible through the egg, with the eyes appearing as two red spots.

 

As it grows to an adult it becomes larger than most native stink bug species, ranging from 12 to 17 mm in length. Colours may vary between shades of red, grey, light brown, copper, or black. The term "marmorated" means variegated or veined, like marble, which refers to the markings unique to this species.