The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is a serious crop pest and a biosecurity risk to New Zealand. They can infest horticultural crops (i.e. apples, corn, wine grapes, kiwifruit and a range of stone fruit varieties), causing damage to flowers, stems, leaves and fruit of host plants. Fortunately strict import rules have made it harder for live BMSB to enter New Zealand on risky cargo such as vehicles, machinery and parts.
Taxonomists and taxonomic collections are important for identifying pests and diseases.
