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Scientists used data collected over a three-year period from 17 states to try and forecast how changing weather patterns might create a more welcoming environment for the brown marmorated stink bug.
Using several potential climate scenarios, modeling found that changing weather could increase suitable habitats for the insect in the United States by 70 percent, researchers found.
Areas most likely to be adversely affected by the bug as it moves northward include the mid-Atlantic states, the Great Lakes, southern California, and the Treasure Valley region of Idaho.
However, researchers said the bug is unlikely to gain footing throughout the entire United States as conditions in much of the central and southern portions of the country lack suitable habitats.
Whether the insects survive in a particular area depends on the conditions and mitigation efforts.
“Every system will change with climate change, so the fact that you can grow garbanzo beans, lentils or wheat without these pests now, doesn’t mean that you will not have them in a few years,” said lead study author Javier Gutierrez Illan.
“There are mitigating things that we can do, but it is wise to prepare for change.”
Originating in Asia, the brown marmorated stink bug is known to eat nearly 170 different plants, including crops and ornamental plants.
The bug first appeared in the US over two decades ago and has since spread to 46 states. It’s classified as a pest in 15 states.
Typically a grayish-brown color, the stink bugs have a triangular “shield” shape and measure roughly ¾ inch long.
While not harmful to humans, the insects can release foul-smelling liquids that may induce nausea and vomiting if swallowed.
Researchers found that the biggest factors contributing to a stink bug boom in a given area were proximity to populated areas and availability of water.
However, the study found that while being close to people helped the insects get established in a new area, once there they did not need to be near people to proliferate.
Researchers also noted that while the insects thrive in warmer climates, rising temperatures are not necessarily beneficial to them if the land becomes too dry and eliminates their water sources.
Click here to read the complete study published in Pest Management Science.
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