Crop-eating brown marmorated stink bug found in Plymouth, Minnesota, state's Dept. of Agriculture says

Andrew Rogers

ST. PAUL, Minnesota , November 16, 2011 (Associated Press) – Stink bugs have now reached Hennepin County.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture on Tuesday confirmed the brown marmorated stink bug has been found in Plymouth, a Twin Cities suburb. It's the first time the invasive pest has been found in Hennepin County.

The department says an employee of a pest control company found the insect at a Plymouth business last week. It's unclear how the bug arrived at the business.

The stink bug is native to Asia and has spread to 33 states since it was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2001. In Minnesota, the bug has previously been found in Ramsey, Anoka, Washington and Winona counties.

The bug feeds on a wide variety of plants including fruit trees, vegetables and soybeans. When disturbed, the bug releases a foul-smelling odor.

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