Ward reports the widespread invasion of homes in Washington D.C. by an insect that releases a pungent smell whenever it is touched or threatened by its enemies. The insect is therefore commonly referred to as the stink bug. The author of this article highlights clarification from experts in the field of entomology to describe the stink bug as regards their invasion pattern, their potential harm, ways of handling or avoiding the insects, and general information about stink bugs.
According to Ward (para 1), stink bugs are “smelly, pesky bugs…and when you try to kill them, they just smell worse.” The author has correctly reported that stink bugs are mainly a nuisance during winter and they spread all over during the warm periods. There is, however, contradicting reporting on the reason for the bugs invading homes during the winter. While the author reports that the pests simply seek refuge and not necessarily warmth, Robinson (211) indicates that they invade houses during winter in search of warmth.
The stink bugs have accurately been identified scientifically as Halyomorpha halys, although the author has not adhered to the scientific rules of naming organisms i.e., the author has not capitalized the first letter of the genus name and has not written both the genus and species names in italics (Ward, para 4). The stink bug is a pest which is commonly known as the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and is a Hemiptera that infests plants that bear fruits, causing damage on leaves and fruits (Denlinger & Richard, 354).
This article does not exaggerate stink bugs as scary pests, since it correctly presents the bugs as smelly insects which are mainly a nuisance to human beings. Moreover, the author goes ahead to present the bugs as a threat to farmers due to their destructive nature on fruits and vegetables (Ward, para 9). It is reported that stink bugs are a threat to grapes and cause considerable losses in farm produce by damaging fruits, hence making them unsuitable for sale (Jacobs 12).
In this regard, the article is not a form of scare to the reader since the stink bug is not only a real nuisance to humans but also a destructive pest to farm produce. Gill, Klick, and Kenney (1) indicate that the Halyomorpha halys that came into the U.S. from Asia has spread into more than 26 states. It is stated that in addition to being a nuisance by overwintering in houses, the pest has injured various fruits and vegetables. The stink bug has been found to feed on cucumber, sweet corn, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, and cucumber among other fruits and vegetables (Denlinger & Richard 354). It is worth noting that the damage inflicted on fruits and vegetables attracts even more pests, thus the Halyomorpha halys can be viewed as a potentially destructive pest.
This article highlights that the pest can be prevented from entering homes by sealing off any openings, and this is in line with scientific advice that indicates sealing openings using silicone as a preventive measure. The article also advises on the use of vacuum cleaners to suck the insect as a way of dealing with insects that have already entered houses. Jacobs (para 16) advises on the use of vacuum suckers to avoid the pungent smell exuded by the bug once it is touched. In that case, this article has presented accurate conclusions on handling, spread, potential damage, and pattern of movement of the brown marmorated stink bug.
Works Cited
Denlinger, David L. and Lee, Richard E. Low temperatures biology in insects. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
Gill, Stanton, Klick Suzanne and Kenney Sarah. “Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys).” IPM Pest Alert 2010.
Jacobs, Steve. “Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: Halyomorpha halys.” 2011. Web.
Robinson, William H. Handbook of urban insects and arachnids. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
Ward Derrick. “Stink bugs taking area by swarm: They’re everywhere.”NBC Washington. 2010. Web.