It's "Last Call" to Trap Stink Bugs Outdoors

For an increasing number of homeowners across North America, brown marmorated stink bugs are another sign of the changing seasons.

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) says these smelly pests are likely to be found congregating in attics and hanging on curtains, lampshades, screens and other objects inside homes in the coming months.

"If you don’t want stink bugs in your house this winter, you need to be proactive now and set up traps in your yard by Labor Day." says Rod Schneidmiller, president of Sterling International Inc.

With no effective natural insect enemies in the U.S., stink bugs continue to expand into new areas. They’ve now been discovered in 41 states, most recently in Arkansas.

Sterling International Celebrates Thirty Years

Congratulations to our client Sterling International, makers of RESCUE! Pest Control Products, on celebrating thirty years in business!

Thirty years ago, long before “green” was trendy, the founder and president of Sterling International, Rod Schneidmiller, was tinkering in his kitchen with an all natural solution to trap flies. He got it right - and RESCUE! ® Pest Control was born.

“I come from a long line of entrepreneurs in the landscaping and growing industry. All that we’ve accomplished is a reflection and continuation of our family heritage that has shaped my values and vision for this company,” says Schneidmiller.

According to Schneidmiller, the company hasn’t veered away from the original intent forged thirty years ago: to design, manufacture and market the safest and most effective pest control solutions available. He’s pleased the company’s founding mission of ‘making pest control smarter’ is shaping the future - today.

Looking ahead, Schneidmiller foresees that bio-pesticides will continue to grow in popularity as consumers realize the potential dangers that conventional pesticides pose to the environment. “Bio-pesticides are a growing trend and we’re definitely in a growth market.”

He points out that RESCUE!’ s approach uses a non-toxic mode of action to lure targeted insects into a scientifically designed trap that eliminates the need to use potentially harmful chemicals.

All RESCUE! ® traps are recognized around the world as reliable and environmentally safe insect control solutions that will not harm beneficial bugs, people, pets or plants.

To learn more about Sterling and their line of products, visit http://www.rescue.com or follow RESCUE! ® on Facebook.

-Stacey
Garden Media Group

Timing is Everything in the Fight Against Stink Bugs

Out of sight should not mean out of mind. The “great awakening” is upon us; stink bugs are ready to mate and multiply! Experts are warning us that now’s the critical time to catch those stink bugs before your gardens become their buffet.

Did you know that stink bugs have been called one of the most serious agricultural and ornamental pests ever seen in the United States?It is estimated that stink bugs do millions of dollars of damage to crops and gardens each year. Their favorites are fruit and berries, juicy tomatoes and veggies.

With nationwide record-setting warmer winter and mild spring temperatures, stink bugs are showing up earlier than many anticipated.

According to Dr. George Hamilton, chair of the Department of Entomology at Rutgers University, sting bugs in the Mid-Atlantic region are appearing from one to two weeks earlier than we normally see and are in the process of moving outdoors.

Hamilton says the brown marmorated stink bugs are a particular problem with the potential to wreak havoc on agriculture and home gardens at almost every growth stage.

With the early spring and plants coming out sooner and the possibility of warmer weather extending into fall, some scientists are wondering if there’s a potential for two generations of stink bugs showing up further north than they’ve seen before.

Dr. Qing-He Zhang, PhD, lead scientist and director of research at Sterling International, has developed a safe and effective solution for home gardeners to use outdoors. The RESCUE!® Stink Bug Trap, catches adult stink bugs and the ravenous younger generations that feed on gardens and fruit bearing shrubs and trees.

And they’re on the move hitching rides across the nation.

According to United States Dept of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ ARS) in Beltsville, MD, four more states - Missouri, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas - have reported sightings of invasive stink bugs, bringing the total to more than 37 states.

The RESCUE!® Stink Bug Trap lures, captures and destroys these destructive pests using patent-pending technology that slowly releases a pheromone that’s odorless to humans and formulated to lure stink bugs from up to 30 feet. The non-toxic delivery system is similar to what Sterling has successfully used in other RESCUE!® traps for pests.

For great tips on how to beat stink bugs, visit http://www.rescue.com and its new site, [http://www.stinkbugsmackdown.com or follow RESCUE! on Facebook.

-Stacey
Garden Media Group

Shine a little LED on the subject of Stink Bugs

If you think you’re safe, beware. Researchers predict that if one out of 10 homes had stink bugs last year, nine in 10 homes could have them this season. According to Dr. Tracy Leskey, a research entomologist with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, adult stink bugs are moving inside and looking for places to spend the winter.

"Now is the time to fight stink bugs," says Rod Schneidmiller, president of Sterling International, developer of the RESCUE! Stink Bug Traps. "Whether you use a homemade trap or one of ours, do something this fall to break the cycle and reduce their numbers."

By Halloween, most stink bugs will have moved inside to hibernate. Experts say a good indoor stink bug trap with an LED light works best to attract stink bugs indoors.

To prevent stink bugs from taking over your home this winter, follow these tips from the pros:

* Seal up your castle. The first line of defense is to close your windows and doors, and seal up any openings where the bugs can enter. They can flatten out and slip through the cracks to hide in your house for winter.

* Create a barrier outdoors. Outdoors stink bugs are attracted to scent. Indoors they move to light. Place traps on porches, posts and trees around your home. New traps on the market catch both young and adult stink bugs with a pheromone attractant that lures them from up to 30 feet away.

* Check traps frequently. Make certain your traps are catching stink bugs. If not, move them to another spot. "Be vigilant," says Doug Oster, author of Grow Organic. "You have to out-smart them."

* Pick them off. When you see them on your plants, deck or curtains, pick them off with a tissue, drop in a cup of soapy water and flush down the toilet. Do not release outside. "These aren’t lady bugs," says Oster. "A dead stink bug is the only good stink bug."

* Seek and destroy them indoors. Once they migrate indoors, the bugs congregate in warm dark areas. Indoors they are attracted to light, not scent, so place your traps in attics, living areas and basements where the bugs gather to hibernate through the winter. "Light is what works indoors," Oster says. RESCUE! just introduced a new Stink Bug Light - an attachable LED proven to lure the bugs into the trap. The light easily snaps onto the Stink Bug Trap and plugs into either a wall outlet or battery pack.

* Don’t vacuum. If you vacuum, you’ll scare them and they will emit a foul odor that will linger in your vacuum cleaner and home. If you do, change and dispose the bag immediately.

For more information and great tips on how to beat stink bugs, visit http://www.rescue.com/.

-Karen
GMG

Lights! Camera! Action!

Although the weather was a bit iffy, the cameras rolled as Kathleen Hassinger, a master gardener, was filmed making 11 How-To videos for the new RESCUE! Stink Big Traps. For the past three days the crew shot video and took great images demonstrating how to put the traps together and where you should place them to catch the beasties.

"One flew right at me while we were shooting outdoors at the home of Steve (Castorani)," said Kathleen. Steve is the co-founder of American Beauties and owner of North Creek Nursery in Delaware. "Stink bugs are airborne and looking to come indoors," she said. "Now there's a trap that really works outdoors and indoors to stop them cold and we experienced that first-hand," said Kathleen.

Folks from Sterling International were also on hand to lend them their stink bug expertise.

We'll be sure to share the videos which will be helpful for everyone battling the bugs. Stay tuned.

Lynne
GMG

Buggy News!

Oh, joy. I spotted a nasty brown marmorated stink bug the other day casusally strolling up the living room wall in my friend's house. Not in any hurry- just creepy crawling along, looking for a nice dark, warm spot to hang out and overwinter 'til spring.

And where's there's one- you can bet your money there are more right behind trying to break into your home or office. They start to migrate indoors by mid-September- mid-October but if you see them indoors now, don't wait.

What to do? Well, you can try picking them off one by one and dropping them down the toilet or into a bucket of sudsy solution until they DIE. Or, wait until you catch them congregating on your window or ceiling and try to vacuum them up. But, this method is dicey since when frightened, they emit a foul odor that will linger in your vacuum cleaner and home. If you do, change and dispose the bag pronto.

Then there's sealing up your home like Ft. Knox by closing your windows and doors and sealing up any openings like cracks and crevices where bugs can enter. Does duct tape come in designer shades?

Personally, I prefer traps. You want indoor traps designed to lure and catch the stinkers and stop them in their tracks. Once they're breached the walls, you have to trap as many as possible before they go into hibernation.

There are a few traps available but the RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap is the only one that uses a scientifically developed LED light that's been tested and shown to be the most effective light frequency to draw and trap stink bugs. If you already have the RESCUE! trap outdoors, you can buy the attachable LED light for around $17.99 at most major retailers. It's easy to attach and lures the bugs like the Pied Piper. Once they dehydrate just dispose and reuse.

Let us know how it works for you. Be vigilant and stop stink bugs in their tracks!
~Lynne GMG

They're multiplying. And some are airborne!

Recently I've been able to get some solid on-the-spot "recon" from my friend and colleague on her battle against stink bugs.

Peggy said she placed two RESCUE! Stink Bug Traps in her landscape a few weeks ago: one on a post and rail fence (touching the grass) and one hung under a deck, about 2 1/2 ft above the ground. (She said the area is shaded and is directly beneath her herb and veggie containers.)

Her fence trap, which gets full sun, began catching stink bugs within 2 days. She just put in the RESCUE! 7-week attractant and hung it in the same place. The one under the deck saw little action so she moved it to a sunny location, a lilac tree, with the trap fins touching branches and leaves. Voila! Stink Bugs are coming in but they ain't leaving the trap. Stuck inside to dehydrate and DIE.

Now, yesterday, Peggy was visiting her friend, Sheila (who has a gigantic garden) and they were checking out her plants and veggies. "Don't see any bugs," said Sheila. " Peggy arched her all-knowing brow and remarked, "Just wait... let's check the leaves."

Sure enough... guess what was lurking, attached to the squash leaves in clusters of sticky oval eggs along with newly hatched nymphs that look like creepy ticks with long antennae? Yep. Stink Bugs. The nymphs can't yet fly, but are very fast movers with voracious appetites.

They also saw a few fast moving "teenie boppers" that are about the size of pencil erasers, happily eating peppers, and more.

And people, people... the nymphs become airborne within 50 days or less, and can move throughout your garden and landscape and decimate your veggies, fruit and berries and ornamentals.

OK, so now that you are creeped out and about to race to your nearest retailer and get your RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap, here are a few quick Tips to assure successful victory:

If the RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap is catching stink bugs, but seems to slow down, check for spiderwebs at the entrance, or replace the attractant with a refill if it's been exceptionally hot for weeks.

Buy at least 2 traps: One touching blades or leaves where the nymphs are congregated and one hanging on a post or tree where the adults will be lured.

If you use mulch, check for adults: they hang out and are practically invisible. Place a trap nearby.

If the trap seems to be attracting fewer numbers, move it. Check frequently.

Recognize the enemy. Study Peggy's photos of the eggs and nymphs. Adult Stink Bugs have a shield-like appearance.

Break the cycle. Reduce the population in your little piece of heaven with the only trap that's been scientifically designed and tested to work. Trap and kill these stinkers before they switch gears in Sept/Oct and look for ways to get inside your home and overwinter, congregating in your attic - or crawl spaces- or dark, warm spots, waiting 'till spring arrives to buzz and dive-bomb us all once again.

If we all get involved, we may just stop this menace. Let us know how your battle is going! We're here to help.
Good luck!
~Lynne, GMG

Stamp out ugly, nasty stink bugs!

Stink Bugs. Those ugly, nasty, prehistoric-looking, shield shape insects that look like they should have a starring role in a SciFi movie of Stink Bug Zombies are creating havoc on crops and home landscapes and gardens.

They first appeared in Allentown, PA in 1998 (from Asia) and are reported in 33 states and spreading from coast-to-coast. Those of you in the "Red Zone" states: PA, DE, NJ, MD, VA and W.VA can look for the RESCUE! Stink Bug Traps in independent garden centers and major retail stores. To find a retailer near you, just click on RESCUE'S store finder:

To make matters worse, stink bugs are professional hitchhikers. So, it's only a matter of time before they come to an area near you. Eek!

Now, many of you may be saying to yourself: "Hey, I don't see any of these garden wreckers in my home - so where are they?"

They're in fields, yards and gardens, eating your plants and mating. The adult female lays eggs in masses generally on the underside of leaves, that hatch into nymphs. These baby eating machines don't have wings yet- and have only one focus: Eat plants.

And get this: Depending on the climate, warm spring and summer conditions can allow for up to two-three generations or more. The population can explode exponentially.

What is the food du jour these disgusting insects prefer? Um... everything from edible shrubs and trees to veggies and fruit. Got tomatoes? Stink Bugs love 'em. Peppers, apples, peaches, pears, plums, berries, corn.. you get the picture.

Don't have a veggie garden or fruit trees and berry bushes? 'Stinky' is opportunistic and will go for your foliage -and even your beloved roses.

So, how do we stop these disgusting invaders? Homemade traps are iffy and pesticides can be toxic to the environment, pets and kids!

This may sound corny... but I have to say it... finally, there's a new all-natural trap in town that's been been tested and trialed at the USDA's Beltsville, MD facility - and it works. Yay! It's called the RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap from Sterling International that's the first and only serious solution for this wretched infestation.

Gardeners will love it because it works and controls stink bugs in the most environmentally responsible, effective and low-maintenance way possible.

The trap works outdoors to catch the adult and ravenous young stink bugs, naturally. It uses a patent-pending technology that slowly releases a pheromone that's odorless to humans but powerful enough to lure stink bugs from up to 30 feet.

Tomorrow's blog will be on proper RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap placement for success and much more. Meanwhile, send us photos of your stink bug "invasion" and your gardens. Good luck!

~Lynne GMG

Stink bug photo credit: Wikipedia
photo of RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap: Sterling International