Has anyone found any kind of insecticide that actually WORKS against stink bugs? Not only are they making holes in my peppers, these horrible huge black ants then get into the peppers via the holes. I really am trying hard to not use Sevin. Interspersed with the pepper plants are some of the nicest basils I've ever grown and I don't want to render them inedible from poison. Thanks for any advice!

Your in Alabama? Cool, Roll Tide!

Anyway...try a spray bottle of plain water with a heaping tsp of Dawn dishwashing detergent mixed in. Try to actually spray the little buggers with it. This simple solution will kill/deter most insects, the good ones also, so use sparingly! Let us know how it works!

We tried that on our tomato plants earlier in the season... Didn't stop the bugs but almost killed the plants. Took about a month or more for the plants to recover. So I doubt DH will let me try that again.
And ... Absolutely Roll Tide!!!

EdieJ wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 3:57 pm We tried that on our tomato plants earlier in the season... Didn't stop the bugs but almost killed the plants. Took about a month or more for the plants to recover. So I doubt DH will let me try that again.
And ... Absolutely Roll Tide!!!

War Eagle! (Mostly kidding, and lol ing at a lot of people having no idea what we are talking about)

Did you wash off the soap after you sprayed? It only kills what it hits, and does not help afterward. I think if you spray soap in the sun it can burn plants as well.

Pyrethrin will knock them back. I use it in the late evening and make sure that I also do the ground around the plants as well as the plants. I've got some DE to sprinkle around the base of the plants (haven't tried that yet) but right now we're having evening showers just about every day so nothing's been here done in a while.

LOL! Georgia Dawgs know what a War Eagle is!

depends... have you heard of one called Mustang Max? it is a restricted spray for us and I assume every other state. I don't know how your state allows for spraying a restricted spray but it is a lifesaver of a spray. it stinks to high heaven but uses only 1/4 teaspoon for 4 gallons of water when we spray for drosophila fly. it also works for squash bugs so I am sure it works for sink bugs.

I use canned cooking oil spray and spritz then directly. They will drop like a rock and you can squish or collect them to dispose of. Wear gloves as their pointy little shoulders will stab you or use your foot. Leaf footed bugs climb up the cage to try and launch off but they temporarily can’t so you can get them too. I don’t spray the plant though or try not to. ( are you sure that the holes are caused by stinkbugs, doesn’t sound like their type of damage ?).

Cooking oil spray is harmless. I would never use sevin either. Particularly powdered formulations. I care about the bees.
It is also broad spectrum and will decimate your beneficial insects.

I did try natural pyrethrin one time but that is also harmful to beneficials and I also read that it only temporarily incapacitated the stink bug and that they will then recover when your back is turned. Don’t remember source.

Years ago I thought if stinkbugs smelled the squished remains of their friends they would be repelled but I have since learned they are attracted
to that particular smell and come to the funeral.

Sprayed with canned cooking oil.

[mention]MsCowpea[/mention] We are pretty sure it's stinkbugs, we caught one in the act. Unfortunately when DH tried to squish it, it flew away We don't have cages for the peppers, they're in a planter on the deck and tied to the railing for support. Now I will have to look for leaf-foots too!

[mention]Clkeiper[/mention] I don't believe we can use a restricted spray. And I really don't want to get anything truly poisonous on my basils.

[mention]Cole_Robbie[/mention] and [mention]GoDawgs[/mention] War Eagle it's all good.

The cooking spray oil keeps them from flying away. You have time to deal with them.

Cole_Robbie wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 4:39 pm

EdieJ wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 3:57 pm We tried that on our tomato plants earlier in the season... Didn't stop the bugs but almost killed the plants. Took about a month or more for the plants to recover. So I doubt DH will let me try that again.
And ... Absolutely Roll Tide!!!

War Eagle! (Mostly kidding, and lol ing at a lot of people having no idea what we are talking about)

Did you wash off the soap after you sprayed? It only kills what it hits, and does not help afterward. I think if you spray soap in the sun it can burn plants as well.

This is exactly what I was thinking too.

EdieJ wrote: ↑Sat Aug 29, 2020 8:52 am @Cole_Robbie and @GoDawgs War Eagle it's all good.

It's an SEC thang! We now return you to your regularly scheduled topic.

Any pyrethoid will kill them, all right. But they are back in days, and the waiting time is two weeks. I've given up on my tomatoes already because of them.

For the season, I mean.

I still have some baby peppers coming on. Maybe I'll just put organza bags around a couple of them and see if that helps! I can't really stand over them due to events beyond my control...

Shop-vac. Put some soapy water in the middle so that they don’t climb back out.
Stay on top of the problem from the early summer on..
In a bigger garden, I’ve heard kaolin clay ( surround spray) wprks best and will be what I’m using next year.

Yeah, next year I will plan better and not plant herbs around the plants I'm going to have to spray. We actually have Surround but I won't take a chance on it getting on my basils. Not just for us, but also the many bees that visit it.