Learn About Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs, Halyomorpha halys

Learn About Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs, Halyomorpha halys I have a peculiar fascination with stink bugs. My affection may be misplaced, however, because some stink bugs are pests of garden plants and fruit trees. One exotic species, the brown marmorated stink bug came to the U.S. recently and the agricultural industry is already on alert. Description: The adult brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, can be confused with other brown stink bugs. To identify this species accurately, examine its antennae for alternating bands of light and dark on the last two segments. Adults are a blotchy brown color, with alternating light and dark markings along the edges of the abdomen. They grow to 17mm in length. In its U.S. range, Halyomorpha halys adults may be observed from spring to September. In the fall, they may invade houses and other structures. Find stink bugs in your home in the fall, and theres a good chance youve got brown marmorated stink bugs. First and second instars appear tick-like, but yellowish or reddish in color. The final three instars (five total) become darker and closer in appearance to the adults. Older nymphs have banded legs and antennae and abdominal markings like adults. Clusters of light green eggs may be found from June to August. If you do find a brown marmorated stink bug, keep the insect in a vial or jar and report the find to your local extension office. This insect has the potential to become a serious agricultural pest, and scientists are tracking its spread. Classification: Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass - InsectaOrder - HemipteraFamily - PentatomidaeGenus - HalyomorphaSpecies - H. halys Diet: Brown marmorated stink bugs feed on plants by piercing fruits and stems. The long list of host plants favored by this insect makes it a significant agricultural pest if populations get too large. Host plants include a variety of fruit and shade trees, as well as other woody ornamentals and even legumes. Known food sources include pear, peach, apricot, cherry, mulberry, persimmon, and apple trees; Buddleia, honeysuckle, Rosa rugosa, and abelia shrubs; raspberries and grapes; and legumes including soybeans and beans. Life Cycle: The brown marmorated stink bug undergoes incomplete metamorphosis. In the U.S., only a single life cycle occurs per year. However, in its native Asia, five life cycles per year have been observed. As H. halys spreads south, more life cycles per year are likely. Eggs - The female lays barrel-shaped eggs in masses of 25-30, on the undersides of leaves.Nymphs - Nymphs emerge 4-5 days after eggs are laid. Each instar lasts about one week.Adults - Adults fly, and become sexually mature about two weeks after their final molt. The female lays eggs at one-week intervals. She can lay as many as 400 eggs in a season. Special Adaptations and Defenses: Like other cousins in the Pentatomidae family, brown marmorated stink bugs possess glands in the thorax capable of producing malodorous compounds. When handled or crushed, stink bugs release this foul-smelling secretion. Their coloration provides camouflage from predators, such as birds. Habitat: Fruit tree orchards, soybean fields, and other areas where host plants occur, including the home landscape. Range: The brown marmorated stink bug is native to eastern Asia, existing in China, Japan, and Korea. Halyomorpha halys has been detected in 42 U.S. states and several Canadian provinces.   Other Common Names: Yellow-brown stink bug, East Asian stink bug Sources: Regional Pest Alert: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Northeastern IPM CenterBrown Marmorated Stink Bug - A New Exotic Insect in New Jersey, Rutgers Cooperative Extension FS002Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, University of FloridaBrown Marmorated Stink Bug, Penn state University

7 In-Demand Skills You Can Learn Quickly That Will Boost Your Job Prospects

7 In-Demand Skills You Can Learn Quickly That Will Boost Your Job Prospects Skill acquisition is super important to advancing your career. But you’re busy- or you live in a remote location- or you just feel daunted by how long it takes to gain proficiency, let alone mastery, of any given skill. Never fear! There are a ton of in-demand and highly marketable skills you can learn quickly. Here are some of the best.1. Web Design/DevelopmentEver notice just how many job postings ask for some variant on this? Or call it a bonus or a plus? There are tons of online sites and programs that can help you learn how to do all of this and more, in your spare time. And this skill will help make you look really good to a wide range of companies needing help launching, updating, or redesigning their sites.2. Data Analysis/StatsEven if you were terrible at math in school, it’s time to give it another try. Big data is the next frontier. Try sites like Khan Academy to get free instruction in how to harness, organize, and analyze mega data sets and put that skill s mack on your resume. Learn something like Mini-tab, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) or E-view to really set yourself apart.3. Cloud ComputingIt’s okay if you don’t even know what that is now. You can learn! Heard these buzz words? Virtualization, software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS)? You too could become an expert in them. Try ALISON.com for a free introductory course to cloud computing. Then you can put Customer Management Software (CRM) expertise on your resume and be that much more marketable.4. Excel and PowerPointThese more complicated programs of the Office suite- and usually the ones you ignore? Never underestimate the power of expertise in either of these programs. Take an online class in either- or both- and revel in how far you can get being a super genius at these programs.5. Public SpeakingThe skills you build while beefing up your public speaking expertise are multipurpose and can bring about a huge confidence boost. Wh en in doubt, improve your communication skills- both written and oral. But public speaking can make you that much more effective when speaking, interviewing, asking for a raise†¦ There are platforms like Udemy and Skillshare available through Toastmasters International or Dale Carnegie Training. You can even sign up for Skillshare through Monster.com and get your first month free.6. CodingAugment your new web development/design skills with some coding knowledge. These technical skills are all the rage right now, can help whether you’re going into marketing or management, and can really set you apart in the hiring pool. Start with HTML and CSS and then see if you can pick up some skill with JavaScript. Try the Web Development Bootcamp for a nine-week course.7. BloggingNot just for teenage girls! Every company needs a blog these days, and having the talent to generate interesting, well-written content, plus the knowledge of SEO and some of the more technical aspects can re ally set you apart from the crowd. When in doubt, be a blogging maven!