"The spread of this bug is a disaster," says Agricultural State Councillor Arnold Schuler. "Some Bolzano orchards look like they were hit by a hail storm." The marmorated stink bug has now been found in Grutzen, on the border between Bolzano and Laives. This is what the "Dolomites" report in their issue on Monday.
Where the hungry bug pierces the peel and secretes its saliva, fruits become deformed - or will start to show corking. The increase in marmorated stink bugs is starting to become problematic in some communities, says the Laimburg Experiment Center.
"Increased presence"
There was damage to facilities in Terlan and Auer - mostly on the outer rows. "Increased presences" of the bugs were reported in Bolzano and its surroundings, Lana, Meran and Auer.
"Monitoring is in full swing," says Stefanie Fischnaller from the functional genomics research group at the Laimburg Experiment Center.
Source: Stol.it