A new study by researchers at Washington State University shows that DNA analysis of the contents of the guts (shown here) of brown marmorated stink bugs’ (Halyomorpha halys) can be used to identify the plants they’ve eaten in the preceding two weeks. “Host plant DNA sticks around a lot longer than you’d expect in stink bug guts, which opens the door to asking all sorts of interesting ecological questions that will help us manage brown marmorated stink bug more effectively,” says Jim Hepler, lead author on the study and a Ph.D. candidate at WSU. (Photo courtesy of Jim Hepler)