Littleshoes Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 We had one of the nicest corn fields ever. The corn was just ripe and ready for picking and freezing, when we discovered...... A Million Stink Bugs inside the ears. Babies and more babies have invaded our crop. They eat the corn and leave behind some sort of residue. We figured we could just cut out the bad parts and maybe use the corn anyway, as we have done that with corn worms. Cooked it, cut it off the cob, put on the butter, salt, etc. and wow, it was so delish.... however the wrath hit that nite. Cramps so bad you can't stand up and well, I won't get into details, but it was horrible. Father in law took the mower and mowed the entire field down..... :*( no more corn! The entire field Gonezo! He figured he would make them find a new home or grind them up, so they would relocate to someone else,,,,, not here! I can hardly wait til they come in the house again. We had thousands all winter in the house, so that means more this year. There is apparently nothing that you can spray on them, that isn't harmful to us. They say there are traps now, but they proved to not work either. They love quilt batting too, so they find their way into my customer batts. I've been very diligent about watching for them, so none have been quilted into a customer quilt yet. Is there a point to this post. I think just to complain that there will be no freezer corn this year, and that's my favorite too! Hope you all don't suffer from this terrible creature. Thanks for listening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 Yikes that doesn't sound plesant. I don't think I've seen stink bugs in the northeast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeAnn Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 Wow! I didn't know stink bugs got in the corn! I would be very upset too as freezing corn is one of the things we like to do too. I feel bad for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 That is just awful! I am sorry that you lost so much due to these little pests! We've seen a few here in VA but not alot of them....hopefully it will stay that way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 EEEEEWWWWW!!!:o:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar Schmutz Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 So sorry you all got sick! Sounds awful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 I'm so sorry to hear this. How sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewhappy Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 are you able to keep them from next years crop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiltsinmotion Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 oh my how sad for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 We have them here in FLA. I hate them and they are a PEST!! Sorry to here about your corn crop. We didn't plant this year and that a good thing cause we have had NO RAIN and Emily was our hope but not now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleshoes Posted August 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 Between no rain, deer and bugs, we don't have a chance. There is really nothing to do with these bugs. They love to eat apples, so I'm thinking corn is just as sweet as those apples, so that is why they are eating that too. Chickens are their only preditor, and with all the other animals out there, they wouldn't have a chance of living very long here. We do have lots of turkeys and maybe they will acquire a taste for them. I was just happy they weren't in my house any longer, but I'm sure they will be back as soon as the weather turns colder. We had an epidemic of ladybugs a few years back, but they didn't seem to be as gross as these things. I hardly see any ladybugs now, so maybe the stink bugs will go away too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 where do you live? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s.waits Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 Sounds like it is time to burn the cornfield. With so much drought everywhere this year, that may not be an option though. Maybe you could contact the local fire department and volunteer your field for training exercises? So sorry this has happened to you. We didn't have any luck with gardening this year either. First it was too cold to plant, then no rain, then suddenly so much rain the grass took over everything overnight. Then there is also the problem with the deer, ate all my okra and corn by the time it was six inches tall! :mad: I've been threatening to let my nephew have his way with them, but we live inside the city limits, and my neighbors are kinda funny about the wildlife. They might not be so attached to them if it was their garden and landscaping they were destroying. Oh well, it could be worse, at least they've been staying on the outside of the fence around my backyard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 6, 2011 Report Share Posted August 6, 2011 Must be several types of stink bugs....the beetle in Montana that we call stink bugs weren't a corn problem. Sorry to hear you lost your corn crop. Wouldn't make me happy for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleshoes Posted August 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 I should learn how to post my name on the bottom of my posts like all of you. I'm still trying to figure out the posting of pictures. Shana.... I'm from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My husband's family has a farm and we live on the outside edge of it. We have around 63 acres. Everyone around us has sold their land and it's being developed with housing plans. My open world is closing in around me. Guess I should go in and try to figure out how to update my profile too. Maybe it's a good thing I was busy quilting today.... I missed all the drama too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 That's the advantage of living where I do...winters kill most of those nasty creatures! However I feel your pain Littleshoes.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 I have been fighting stink bugs in the garden all summer. Thankfully it is not such a big garden. I pick the bug eggs off the squash leaves, pick up the stink bugs and throw them in a bucket of soapy water. There are some pesticides that work against them, but I haven't used them. I don't and can't have chickens, but it is good to know the chickens don't mind eating them. They damage everything edible in their path. We did have a small patch of corn, but they didn't bother it. I guess they prefer summer squash:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sueky1 Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 Check this out. My mom had stink bugs that seemed to come from strange places. We had some luck using this trap in her garage and basement. Good Luck, Becky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 Becky I am so glad you posted that addy. I have these here in New York but those I asked told me nothing. They just told me that they were hard to kill no name and every where. This year I have only a few but didn't know that they were called stink bugs. The ones I'm use to in Montana are just a black beetle that stink if you step on them. Nothing likes these ugly bugs. Now I have a Plan should we get them next year. They are such creep bugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 Becky, Thank you for posting that addy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busybee Posted August 7, 2011 Report Share Posted August 7, 2011 I too have those stink bugs and they are attacking my squashes and have seen in cucumbers. I have been using liquid seven. I heard of soap and hot pepper spray. but I want the dead not chase them. Any other suggestions? With the heat in the 100's I think they are worse. Oh, Where is the cold. Where is the rain. North and East of here are getting rain but here in SW MO no rain. We got little last night but today the ground is hard and dry. My tomatoes are thick tough skins from heat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iedquilts Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 Detestable creatures ! Irene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted August 8, 2011 Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 Wow, this is really bad. Sounds like they are on the move. My sister lives in mountains in south central PA (near Gettysburg) and she has the ugly critters. I've seen a few here in Virginia Beach, my problem is another critter, carpenter bees. Anyway, I'm very careful to now bring any stink bugs back from PA when we camp here. I heard they were moving south. I didn't know they were that destructive, we were always told they were just a nuisance. UGH! I think that I will continue to buy my QD batting in packages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Littleshoes Posted August 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2011 My neighbor made these traps out of water bottles for the Carpenter bees. They really work too! Not sure where he found the recipe to make them, but I'm sure if you google it, it will come up. We had them really bad in the barn and the horses really don't like them swooping down. These traps have eliminated them altogether! Now if the same thing would work for these I would be a happy camper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I just saw a commercial trap for them at the feed store. We had them in the house this winter. Such ugly creatures and so stinky when you kill them. So we just grabbed them and tossed them outside. Our cat got one one day and was not happy...she never touched another! Never had them before, though we do get lady bugs in the early spring and fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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