Progress towards organic management of the exotic invasive stink bug Bagrada hilaris

Within the U.S., the Bagrada bug or Painted bug (Bagrada hilaris) was first found in California in 2008 and has been present in New Mexico since 2010, where it attacks a variety of crops within the family Brassicaceae. This new pest is difficult for conventional farmers to control, but poses particular challenges for organic growers. This presentation will include the results of three years of research on different approaches to organic management of this pest, including trap-cropping, various organically approved insecticides, and an assessment of the potential value of two native predators, Collops vittatus (Say) and Podisus maculiventris (Say).