Some of you will know, and possibly be plagued by a newly introduced pest insect, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys). This animal was accidentally introduced in to the United States from Asia in 1998. They are an agricultural pest, and when they mass for overwintering, they can be also be really annoying. Often hundreds concentrate in and around buildings. When annoyed they produce a foul smell that probably evolved as a defense against predators.
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) crawling along the baseboard.
Today’s blog entry is the story of how having spiders around the house can help. Several of the most common household and yard spiders in Ohio are known to eat Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs. Here are photos of just a few that I’ve caught in the act.
Long-bodied Cellar Spider (Pholcus phalangioides) feasting on a Brown Marmorated Stink bug that it found in our basement.
Bold Jumper (Phidippus audax) feeding on a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug on our back porch.
Common House Spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum) with a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug prey found on our back porch this spring.
So at least three good reasons to keep those spiders around the house! It reminds me of the Machiavellian-like statecraft statement “the enemy of our enemy is our friend.”
Simply not enough spiders in our house to keep up with the stinkbugs Rich, albeit we welcome arachnids. A friend was telling me there’s a recipe to make stinkbugs palatable to humans by the bye, but i’m not inclined to try.
Glad to have the spiders around many Phidippus audax’s but saw a genuine female Lactodecus variolus when we moved in a few years back. So cautious. Great website it kept wife from wanting to carpet bomb the whole yard. Eventhough her grandfather WAS an Entomologist !
The funnel weavers around my house have been having a field day with them.
I have grandaddy spiders. Even albino. But never saw them sucking on stink bug.
Looked like cellar and latched on almost exactly the way picture looks. Thanks.
Thanks for the help.
I would rather have the stink bugs! I’m terrified of spiders!
Your opinion noted! The real point of the post was to share the information that we are, like it or not, surrounded by “natural” pest control services provided by spiders. Since none of the species mentioned are threatening to humans, it might be best if we just leave them to their task.