A complex of stink bugs has been terrorizing southeastern crop production for decades, and while these polyphagous pests were historically considered only occasional pests of peaches, their feeding can lead to aborted flower buds, corky flesh, and ‘cat-faced’ fruit, which can all significantly reduce crop quality and yield. Additionally, the risk for frequent damage has increased with the introduction of the brown marmorated stink bug to the southeast. As such, peach growers cannot risk even occasional injury due to stink bugs and thus rely on broad-spectrum insecticides to protect the fruit. This presentation will discuss recent research to help growers monitor for and battle stink bugs in southeastern peach orchards.
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