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Stink bugs problem in the Hudson Valley studied

Researchers are trying to figure out how bad the stink bug problem is for Hudson Valley farms. WAMC's Dave Lucas has more....

Stink bugs have been in the valley since 2008, but the Poughkeepsie Journal reports that their populations have increased dramatically this year. The invasive insect feeds on fruits and vegetables and is a menace to farmers.

Cornell University's Hudson Valley Laboratory will attempt to quantify the economic impact of stink bugs in the region this month. Cornell entomologist Peter Jentsch said early indications are that as much as 20 percent of some orchards' fruit crops have been affected.

Amy Hepworth of Hepworth Organic Farm in Milton says the bug has already been into her zucchini, peppers and tomatoes.

Stink bugs are currently in more than 30 states.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.