Stink bugs are expected to grow in population during the Spring.
An invasive species of insect known as the brown marmorated stink bug is making a come back.
They are known as stink bugs because of the foul smell that the insect emits as a defense mechanism when they are scared or crushed.
Farmers in Virginia are all too familiar with the swarms of stink bugs that attack their crops.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency made a special exception for the stink bugs and allowed farmers to use highly toxic insecticide to kill them.
The fall of 2011 saw a substantially lower population of the stink bugs in the Washington D.C. area, but according to recent research, the decline in the insects was only temporary, and they are likely to make a comeback this coming spring.
The invasive insects are native to Asia, and have spread over much of the United States since they were introduced to the East Coast about 15 years ago.
The bugs have been damaging crops and costing farmers lots of money in prevention measures.
What do you think should be done to prevent against these and other invasive species that are affecting farmer’s crops?
