By Blake Jackson
Missouri's soybean fields are facing a potential threat from stink bugs in 2025, warns the University of Missouri Extension. Entomologist Ivair Valmorbida has identified green, one-spotted, and brown stink bugs as prevalent pests that could affect soybean crops.
Stink bugs damage soybeans using their piercing mouthparts to feed on blooms, pods, and seeds, which can lead to substantial yield losses and reduced seed quality. They are recognizable by their shield-shaped bodies, with the green stink bugs being light green and their barrel-shaped eggs transitioning from light green to yellow.
Farmers are advised to initiate weekly scouting when soybeans start to bloom, breaking large fields into smaller units for more effective monitoring. Scouting should cover the entire field in patterns like U, X, or W to ensure representative sampling and avoid biases toward field edges or known problem areas.
Insecticide treatments should only be considered when stink bug populations exceed economic thresholds, which are 0.4 bugs per sweep for grain soybeans and 0.2 for seed beans. Effective pest management requires understanding whether infestations are localized or widespread within fields.
For ongoing updates and alerts about pest activity, Missouri farmers can sign up for free text notifications through MU’s Pest Monitoring Network at MU Pest Monitoring Network.
Photo Credit: university-of-missouri
Categories: Missouri, Crops, Soybeans