Delineating the distribution of invasive pentatomids in Washington state

During 2014 and 2015, a multi-agency Exotic Pest Team initiated a survey of the Stink Bugs of Washington State.  Stink bug Wanted Posters were distributed through multiple media venues each year.  Key audiences for this survey campaign were the University Master Gardener volunteer program and liscensed pesticide applicators.   In the survey over 180 physical specimens and digital images where submitted for identification.  A significant portion of these sample were the exotic and invasive brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) , Halyomorpha halys and these finds in Washington were documented through an on-line website to alert crop producers as to the presence of BMSB in their counties and communities.  Survey results have detected BMSB in 17 Washington State counties and detemined that BMSB is established (by presence of more than two insect stages) in seven counties.  The survey also picked up a population of an exotic stink bug known as the Southern Green Stink Bug, Nezara viridula, in western WA.  This exotic and invasive stink bug population will be monitored.  The long-term goal of this project is to better document the distribution and abundance of native stink bugs before and after the establishment of BMSB in Washington State.  Other research efforts are underway to contain the spread of or manage BMSB before this invasive pest species adversely impacts crop production.