Stink bugs arrive in UK and threaten crops

Farmers worry about many things, like no rain or pests eating their crops. British farmers have a new worry – stink bugs. Stink bugs have arrived in Britain from China, Japan or Korea. These smelly insects are a threat to fruit and vegetables on farms. The insects get their name from the bad smell they create when they are in danger. Stink bugs arrived in the USA in the mid-1990s. They are now a problem for farmers in 44 states.

Stink bugs eat by sucking out the juice from fruits and vegetables. This makes the fruit go bad. Farmers cannot sell their crops. The fruit often ends up as juice. An insect expert said there is no risk to our health if we eat damaged fruit. He said stink bugs have a wide diet. They eat over one hundred different types of plants. He added that: "With climate change and global trade, these stories are going to become more frequent."