Gail,

I've had stinkbug damage just a few times and it wasn't that extensive. And the damaged fruits didn't look like what you show in the picture.

Now I know it's hard to always picture what one wants to, and you're seeing things up close and personal, but the damage I had mirrored the photos usually shown which was a small yellowish area with sometimes but not always a small pinhole in the center and then a white hard area of tissue under the bite area where cells were destroyed by the injected toxin.

What I see in your photo doesn't quite look like that but looks are deceiving. It's just that there are some diseases where fruits can have those large discolored areas I see in your photo, but if so, you would have seen other symptoms on the plant I would guess.

Have you seen the critters? And you're convinced it's stinkbug damage?

If so, that's it and you'll have to wait for someone else to help b/c the few times I had stinkbugs I never treated so can't really be of help to you since you've already done some background searching, which I'd have to do anyway.

Fingers crossed for you.

Carolyn

Carolyn and Gail, I also have had damage from stinkbugs that looks like that-usually towards the end of the season when the stink bug population has built up to huge numbers and I have not kept tabs on them early on.
I can't eat the tomatoes when they are like that---though some say they don't effect flavor--other things I have read said their toxins give an off-flavor.

I just don't have an answer once they are big and numerous. I now really scout my tomatoes now and try and get the little nymphs, etc. But when I stop at the end of the season they multiply like crazy on any dying plant.

Sorr y don't have an answer to how to kill --I stick to natural products but have read it is very difficult even if you use traditional synthetic pesticides.

Yes, definitely stinkbugs and lots of them. I see one or two on most of my tomatoes. I have been thinking that maybe with the holes they make some other disease gets inside the tomato to make the damage more extensive which is why they look so awful.

Farkee - I won't eat the ones I photographed. Yuck. But I have been cutting around the corky-looking areas on tomatoes that don't have it so bad.

I think I'll call the local argricultural extension office - see what they have to suggest.

I have been thinking that maybe with the holes they make some other disease gets inside the tomato to make the damage more extensive which is why they look so awful.

It's possible b/c those large dark areas shown on your tomatoes just aren't that typical of simple stinkbug bites, at least those I've seen in person or in pictures.

When you cut open such fruits, what do you see?

It seems to me more and more thru the years that you Fl growers experience much that others might not experience and/or see.

Carolyn

I really think that is stink bug damage and they are high in numbers here also. I think you can buy malathion at your garden center but kills most everything which is a shame. I don't know of any "natural" pest control that is specific to stink(or squash) bugs- I wish there was as they can get really nasty. The only thing I do, is scout as much as possible-especialy early day-and plant host plants that perhaps will attract them away from fruits.

Gail, one thing you do not want to do--don't crush them while they are on the plant. I used to do that thinking that odorous smell of a smooched death would warn off other SBs then I read that smell ATTRACTS them.

Carolyn, you are right about us poor Florida growers--we seemed to get everything SUPERSIZED. (The worse to me is our wonderful winter weather which is when S. Floridians grow tomatoes. It gets downright chilly and I am convinced that is why some of the heirlooms people rave about taste so awful when I try them. )

Gail i know first hand what your talking about. Use 7-Dust i guarantee it to work, they drop like flies. Keep your plants dusted from the time they flower till its time to harvest the tomatoes. Have a good day