We came across a new and interesting video last week about Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) and the biological control option provided by the Samurai Wasp.

Made by a science education website in the USA, the video explains (with fantastic, close-up video footage) the damage BMSB can do to crops and homes. The video and accompanying article also describe the work underway by scientists in Oregon – where the Samurai Wasp has settled – to learn more about how they can be used as a biocontrol tool.

In August 2018, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) made a formal decision approving the release of the tiny Samurai Wasp into New Zealand, if ever there is an incursion of BMSB. Permission to release the wasp is subject to a number of strict controls that will dictate when, where, and by whom it can be released. Read more about the application made to the EPA and the Samurai Wasp on the KVH website here.