4 easy steps to get rid of stink bugs
<p>Anyone who’s had a citrus tree will be familiar with bronze orange bugs. Also called stink bugs, they produce a foul-smelling secretion and suck the sap from stalks, causing flowers and fruit to drop.</p>
<p>These pests need to be controlled in winter before they can build up their numbers in spring and summer.</p>
<p>They lay eggs on the underside of leaves with the young, called nymphs, appearing in winter. The nymphs are flat, lime green and about 6mm long.</p>
<p><strong>1. Know the beast</strong></p>
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<p>Nymphs can be harder to spot as their green colour helps them blend with leaves.</p>
<p>As they mature they turn orange or bronze and become rounded, going from brown to black and reaching 25mm long as adults.</p>
<p><strong>2. Get them while they are young</strong></p>
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<p>Adult stink bugs change from orange or bronze to black or brown in colour.</p>
<p><strong>3. Methods of control</strong></p>
<p>Numbers of bronze orange bug build up rapidly, making control difficult, so take action immediately. A high population may be a sign the tree is stressed. Give it a deep watering and apply a citrus fertiliser.</p>
<p>Wear goggles to control bronze orange bugs, as they expel a caustic liquid that can cause severe irritation. For small trees, blast them off with a jet of water from the hose then collect in a bag and squash, or drop into a bucket of methylated spirits.</p>
<p>Large trees should be sprayed every 10 to 14 days with Eco-Oil or Confidor to kill the nymphs before they develop into breeding adults.</p>
<p>You may also notice green bugs with sharp shoulder spines. Native to Australia they’re called spined citrus bugs. They like lemons and mandarins but suck sap from other citrus fruit.</p>
<p>This pest causes young fruit to develop flat patches of skin and brown stains on the flesh.</p>
<p>Treat them the same way as bronze orange bugs but you’ll have to look a little closer to find them, as their green colour helps them blend in well.</p>
<p><strong>4. Organic remedy</strong></p>
<p>One way to treat small nymphs in winter is with a soap spray, concentrating on the underside of leaves and the lower part of the tree.</p>
<p>To make the spray, add one tablespoon of pure soap flakes, such as grated Velvet soap, to half a bucket of warm water.</p>
<p>When the soap has dissolved in the water, fill a spray bottle and treat leaves early in the day.</p>
<p><strong>TIP:</strong> Don’t use any sprays on hot days, as this can damage stressed plants even more.</p>
<p><em>Written by Handyman. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.handyman.net.au/4-easy-steps-get-rid-stink-bugs">Handyman.</a></em></p>
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