Compost Tea Shown to Have Insecticidal properties

Compost Tea Reduces Egg Hatch and Early-Stage Nymphal Development of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)
Florida Entomologist 2014
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Scientists in Florida have shown compost tea helps control brown marmorated stink bugs.  These stink bugs are a significant agricultural pest in the US and around the world.  A non-areated compost tea extract made from a mix of mushroom compost and chicken manure was sprayed on egg masses laid by the stink bugs.  The researchers found that the egg masses had a 13% drop in hatching, and even more improtantly, the nymphs that hatched were 3 times less likely to survive their first stage of development.  The researchers do not conclude why compost tea has this affect, but do speculate that the microbes in tea may interfere with bacteria that live in the stink bug's gut.  I wonder what other bugs are bugged by my tea?

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