Bed bugs: what they are, how they develop, and how to effectively eliminate them from fruit

• Conduct regular crop inspections, especially during fruit formation and ripening stages.

• Monitor for the presence of adults and nymphs on leaves, shoots, and fruit.

• Pay particular attention to field edges, as adults can move from nearby vegetation into the crop.

• Remove or control spontaneous vegetation that may serve as shelter or a food source for stink bugs, provided it is suitable for the crop and the environment.

• Keep the field free of plant debris that could provide shelter for certain species during unfavorable periods.

• Avoid excessive vegetation and maintain a crop structure that facilitates the detection of populations.

• Use appropriate traps or monitoring systems to detect the presence and evolution of populations.

• Install capture traps or physical barriers when compatible with the crop and capable of reducing the entry of adults.

• Pay special attention to periods of high temperatures, when the activity and reproduction of many species may increase.

• Regularly check the fruit for the first signs of infestation before the damage reaches significant levels.

• Implement control measures when the established intervention thresholds for the species and crop are reached, when these are available.

• Encourage the presence of natural enemies of stink bugs through integrated pest management and by avoiding unnecessary treatments that may affect beneficial insects.

• Maintain areas of beneficial vegetation when compatible with the crop and when they allow for the maintenance of beneficial organism populations.

• Use physical or mechanical trapping methods when they are effective and feasible depending on the size of the crop.

• Apply phytosanitary treatments only with products authorized for the crop and the corresponding pest.

• Apply treatments when the pest is most susceptible to improve their effectiveness.

• Direct the application appropriately to achieve sufficient coverage of the areas where nymphs and adults are concentrated.

• Strictly adhere to the dosages, maximum number of applications, intervals, and other conditions established on the product label.

• Alternate active ingredients with different modes of action when several applications are necessary during the same season.

• Avoid repeated and unnecessary applications that may favor the emergence of populations less susceptible to certain insecticides.

• Combine phytosanitary applications with cultural, physical, and biological control measures to reduce dependence on insecticides.

• Remove severely affected fruit when feasible, as they may constitute a source of deterioration or attract new populations.

• Monitor neighboring crops and nearby areas to detect adult movements toward the plot.

• Monitor the population after treatment to verify its effectiveness and detect possible re-infestations.

• Avoid indiscriminate treatments during flowering to reduce the impact on pollinators and other beneficial organisms.

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