The gray garden bug and other bugs are common in the garden and on and around the house. Basically, these fascinating animals are neither harmful to plants nor to humans and animals, but can secrete a stinking secretion when threatened. You have these options when there is a bug plague.

The gray garden bug has a beautiful pattern

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. bug plague
  3. detect bug infestation
  4. Get rid of garden bugs
  5. lifestyle and distribution
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • The gray garden bug is also called the stink bug because it emits a smelly secretion when touched
    • Nevertheless, the gray garden bug is harmless: it is not poisonous and cannot bite
    • Gray garden bugs feed on plant saps, but the damage is limited

    Bugs in the house and garden

    The gray garden bug (lat. Rhaphigaster nebulosa) is one of two native species of stink bugs and - as its name suggests - is mainly found in the garden. In autumn, however, when it is getting cooler outside and nature is slowly preparing for winter, the animals increasingly seek shelter in apartments and houses. In some years they can become a real plague due to their sheer numbers. But don't worry: the garden bugs don't want to set up home with you and multiply diligently there, they're just looking for a protected winter quarters.

    Is the gray garden bug dangerous?

    Bugs generally have a bad reputation, but unfairly so. Of the around 40,000 different species worldwide, the vast majority are completely harmless to humans and animals, including the gray garden bug. The animals are not poisonous, do not sting, bite, suck blood (quite the opposite!) and do not reproduce in large numbers. Eating damage to plants is also usually limited.

    As a result, these bugs are not classified as pests, although they can become quite annoying, especially in autumn. They probably owe their bad reputation to their habit of spraying a stinky secretion when threatened (like if you touch them). This should spoil the appetite of predators and thus protect the animals from being eaten.

    When touched, the gray garden bug secretes a smelly substance, which is why it is also called the stink bug

    What does the gray garden bug eat?

    The gray garden bug feeds primarily on plant saps, preferring the saps of deciduous trees. In the garden, the insects are particularly common on fruit trees (e.g. apple and pear trees) and berry trees (e.g. blackberries or wild fruit). They also like roses, perennials and other ornamental plants, as well as some vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage, beans and strawberries. Garden bugs are very agile and therefore difficult to spot in the garden. They often hide in the grass from where they prey on the plants. Occasionally, however, the animals also suck other, mostly dead, insects and their larvae.

    Risk of confusion with an Asian pest

    In contrast to the gray garden bug that is native to us, the marbled stink bug (Halyomorpha halys), which looks very similar in color, is considered a major pest both in agriculture and in hobby gardens. The species introduced from China feeds on fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, peaches and hazelnuts, as well as tomatoes, peppers, corn on the cob, eggplant, soybeans and others with a great appetite. As a result, the insect causes major crop damage as the affected fruit deforms and discolours. In addition, there is often a transmission with mold.

    In addition, the marbled stink bug can also be found on other plants and thus damages ash trees, summer lilac, rowan berries, etc. The insect seems to have a preference for rose plants (Rosaceae). So that you can distinguish between the two types, you will find an overview of the respective characteristics in the table.

    Gray garden bug Marbled stink bug
    size 14 to 16 millimeters 12 to 17 millimeters
    coloring grey-yellow to brown with unevenly distributed spots on top, slightly darker in colour brown-yellow with numerous black spots on top
    pronotum and elytra no bright spots on the front edge of the back shield, spotted elytra 4 to 5 bright spots on the front edge of the back shield, lines on the transparent parts of the elytra
    sensor Black and white coloring begins only after constriction colored black and white
    bottom black dotted monochrome

    digression

    The green stink bug

    In contrast to the two more brownish bug species, the green stink bug, which is also native, can be distinguished quite well simply because of its coloration - if you spot it at all on a green leaf. Palomena prasina, as it is called in Latin, has a leafy green color in the summer months, which gradually changes to brown in the autumn. The winter form is uniformly dark brown and has no spots. Thus, the species adapts perfectly to its respective environment and thus camouflages itself from predators. Like the gray garden bug, this species feeds primarily on the sap of deciduous trees and is not considered a pest.

    detect bug infestation

    The gray garden bug, like the other species of bugs, is common in the summer months when it is hot and dry. At this time an infestation is very likely, so you should regularly inspect your plants and check for signs of bugs. Affected plants show the following characteristics:

    • Pitting on leaves, shoot tips and flowers
    • brownish puncture marks on leaves
    • torn tissue on the leaves
    • stunted and discolored shoot tips, flowers and fruits
    • Flowers do not open properly, buds remain closed
    • Fruit and vegetables are inedible due to deformation and the stinking secretion

    You cannot normally recognize the animals by their smell, because they only emit it when danger is imminent. Also keep an eye out not only for the bugs, but also for their nymphs - as the larvae are called. They also feed on plant juices. They are significantly smaller and usually darker in color than the adult specimens.

    How to get rid of the gray garden bug

    "Most bugs are harmless and do not cause any damage." (Naturschutzbund Deutschland, NABU)

    The first rule when fighting gray garden bugs is: never touch the animals with your bare hands! When touched or if you crush them, bedbugs secrete the biting secretion, the unpleasant odor of which is very difficult to remove. Therefore, do not kill any bugs in your home - especially not if they are sitting on the wallpaper or on a porous wall - because the scent sticks very stubbornly here and you will benefit from it for a long time. Therefore, it is better to proceed as described in the following section.

    combat

    Bugs and other insects can be repelled with neem oil or soapy water

    The best way to combat bugs that appear in the garden is to simply shake them off and/or pick them up. Be sure to wear gloves or use tools such as a dustpan with a hand brush with soft bristles. You can also spoil the appetite of the little creatures by spraying the infested plants with neem oil or soapy water (made from dish soap or liquid soft soap). However, these methods don't work on all plants, since you probably don't want to soap fruit.

    Alternatively, the insecticide pyrethrum, made from various wildflowers (Tanacetum), also acts against bugs, but is also deadly poisonous to all other insects - and thus also to beneficial insects.

    prevention

    Since bedbugs are so difficult to fight, you should prevent a stronger infestation pressure. These precautions will help:

    • control: As soon as it gets warmer in spring, check on your plants regularly and collect any bugs you find. Dispose of them so that the animals can no longer reproduce.
    • keep soil moist: The gray garden bug and other species of bugs primarily appear in hot and dry weather. Therefore, water more frequently in the same weather so that the soil remains constantly moist.
    • garden pond: A near-natural garden pond with frogs and toads living in it is ideal for combating bugs: the amphibians are only too happy to eat the insects and thus prevent them from multiplying.
    • Chicken: If you have chickens, feel free to let them run around between the orchards: the poultry are busy picking up the bugs when they are looking for food.

    digression

    How do you get bugs out of your home?

    As mentioned, the bedbugs can be found more frequently in the house and garden from around the end of September. Never pick up the little animals with your bare hands, but sweep them up with the help of a dustpan and hand brush or collect them in a glass/cup (the tried-and-tested cup and cardboard method is recommended here). Release the bugs outside, but carefully lock the windows and doors. To prevent the insects from entering in the first place, it is best to install an insect screen in the spring. This not only helps against bugs, but also against all other annoying insectoid visitors.

    lifestyle and distribution area

    The gray garden bug is widespread in Germany, but occurs more frequently in central and southern Germany. In the north, however, the animals appear more sporadically. The bugs overwinter as imago (i.e. as an adult insect after pupation) mostly in large numbers in various places, for example in tree bark, in cracks and crevices or in house walls overgrown with ivy.

    As soon as it gets warmer in spring, the animals come out of their winter quarters. Now, in late spring, each female lays around 40 eggs on the leaves and shoots of her preferred host plants. The so-called nymphs, which are still wingless, hatch from this within a short time. However, the stink glands are already present and functional. Only one generation of young bugs develops per year.

    The following video shows what the eggs of the gray garden bug look like and how a nymph hatches from such an egg:

    youtube

    frequently asked Questions

    Can the gray garden bug fly?

    Like almost all bugs, the gray garden bug can fly, but is not a particularly adept flier. In addition, the insect makes a loud buzzing sound.

    Are garden bugs related to the blood-sucking bed bugs?

    Garden bugs and bed bugs both belong to the order Heteroptera, but they are assigned to different genera and families and are therefore not related to each other. While the garden bugs as stink bugs (Pentatomidae) feed primarily on plant juices, the bed bugs are bloodsuckers belonging to the flat bugs (Cimicidae).

    Are Garden Bugs Dangerous to Pets?

    The gray garden bug is not dangerous to cats, dogs or other pets. Their secretion is not poisonous, but can only burn a little unpleasantly - especially if cheeky pets get it sprayed in the eyes or mouth.

    tips

    Stink bugs become active in spring from temperatures of around ten degrees Celsius.

Category:

Animals in the garden