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Stink bugs arrive in UK and threaten crops

Stink Bugs - Level 0

Farmers worry about things like rain or pests. British farmers have a new worry - stink bugs that have arrived from China, Japan or Korea. These smelly insects damage fruit and vegetables on farms. They create a bad smell when they are in danger. They arrived in the USA 30 years ago. They are now a big problem for farmers.

Stink bugs suck out the juice from fruits and vegetables. This makes the fruit go bad. There is no risk to our health if we eat this damaged fruit. Stink bugs can eat over one hundred different types of plants. A scientist said: "With climate change and global trade, these stories are going to become more frequent."

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Stink Bugs - Level 1

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."

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Stink Bugs - Level 2

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Farmers worry about many things. Some worry about a lack of rain. Others worry about pests that eat the crops. Farmers in the UK have a new worry - stink bugs. For the first time, stink bugs have arrived in the UK. They are not native to the UK. They came from China, Japan or Korea. These smelly insects are now a threat to fruit and vegetable crops in England. The insects get their name from the bad smell they create when they are in danger. Stink bugs were accidentally introduced to the USA in the mid-1990s. They are now a problem for farmers in 44 states.

Stink bugs eat by piercing the surface of fruits and vegetables and sucking out the juice. This makes the fruit rotten. It means farmers cannot sell the crops. The fruit often ends up as juice. An insect expert said there is no risk to our health from stink bugs feeding on fruit and vegetables. He said: "If you eat a damaged fruit, there's no risk to your health. The fruit just doesn't look beautiful." He said stink bugs have a wide diet and can 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."

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Stink Bugs - Level 3

There are many things that farmers have to worry about. Some farmers worry about a lack of rain. Others worry about pests that eat the crops. Farmers in the UK have a new pest to worry about - stink bugs. For the first time, stink bugs have arrived in the UK and they are causing farmers trouble. The stink bugs came from either China, Japan or Korea. They are not native to the UK. The smelly insects are now posing a threat to fruit and vegetable crops in the south of England. The insects get their name from the bad smell they create when they feel they are in danger. Stink bugs were accidentally introduced to the USA in the mid-1990s and are now a problem for farmers in 44 states.

Stink bugs feed by piercing the surface of fruits and vegetables and then sucking out the juice. This makes the fruit rotten where the insects pierce the skin. It means farmers cannot sell the crops. The fruit quite often ends up as juice. Max Barclay, an insect expert, said there is no risk to human health from the insects feeding on fruit and vegetables. He said: "If you eat a damaged fruit, there's no risk to your health. The fruit just doesn't look beautiful, so the sale value is reduced." He said the species has a wide diet and can 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."

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