How to get rid of Citrus Stink Bugs?

IndigoViolet · #1 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 06:50 PM

Does anyone in SE QLD know how to get rid of Bronze Orange Bugs (BOBs) without chemicals

They are native to SE QLD and only attack citrus trees. They spray hideous stinky spray that stains skin and can hurt your eyes. They make all the lemons fall off the tree.
Check them out here: http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_st...OrangeBugs.htm
I have them on my small lemon tree in serious quantities. I believe the source is a neighbour's tree which is also infested. They aren't into gardening and don't want to do anything about their tree, so my tree keeps reinfesting.

I have been fighting them for a few years now - and LOSING.

I think that the drought has made the problem worse. I have tried picking them off with tongs and dunking them in boiling water & Cutting back the whole tree to bare branches and making sure there were NO eggs & Spraying them with soap spray. Now that we finally have tank water I just jet sprayed them all off the tree today and DH mowed over them. About 20% survived and made a B-line for the tree trunk within seconds. How do they KNOW where the tree trunk is so spontaneously? We are thinking if we do this a few times we might get ahead. I really hate them. Just looking at the photos on that website makes me totally stressed.
I think maybe the only solution is to cover the tree with netting after I have gotten rid of them all - if I can. I would love to hear any other ideas. There doesn't seem to be too much out there on the web about these guys. They don't seem to have any predators. HELP >(

rose · #2 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 08:50 PM

sorry no help, but we had these on our lemon tree and they are a pain, DH used to blast them off with a hose

just for the fun factor, good luck!

battlecrumpet · #3 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 09:32 PM

We get heaps of them, we just pull them off the tree and stomp on them. Obviously this is not ideal so if anyone has any better remedies, I'd be interested to hear them too

**Nyree** · #4 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 10:35 PM

We've got a related bug down here. All efforts to find an effective solution have resulted in

The only real non-chemical control is picking them off & drowning them in a bucket of (soapy) water. Easier said than done when they are everywhere! I feel no guilt if I step on some.

IndigoViolet · #5 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 03:32 PM

Hmm... Thanks anyway. Now that we can hose again sometimes - thanks to tank water - I will try to get on top of the situation again. DS is getting into the aim and shoot with the trigger hose.

DePome · #6 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 03:53 PM

Have you tried all the other homemade sprays such as garlic and chilli?

**Nyree** · #7 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Have you tried all the other homemade sprays such as garlic and chilli?

I did, to no avail. They just waved & thanked me for the meal!

IndigoViolet · #8 (**permalink**) 14-10-2007, 07:45 PM

Have tried Garlic, haven't tried chili. Someone recommended a spray made from dead stink bugs but I think the smell would be too horrible to try it. The hose & mow act seemed to be quite successful. The population has definitely dropped by about 80% (Confirming my suspicions that the only reason they got so out of control in the first place was the drought and water restrictions). I wanted to do it again today but didn't manage it. I am hoping a couple more goes should do it. There were a few on the verge of turning black and being able to fly which is the end of the battle for another season I feel. Although I am sure that even if I get them all off my tree, when the neighbours bugs turn black and fly... it will have been all for nothing...