There’s a smell in your house. It’s not a very pleasant smell – it reminds you of cilantro and rotting vegetables. It’s a stink bug, and with the weather getting colder across the USA, stink bugs try to overwinter in residential homes. Although stink bugs are a common garden pest known for their ability to chew through a wide variety of common plants, their unpleasant odor makes them unique among pests.
Stink bugs can enter diapause, a state of suspended development that allows the bug to wait out unfavorable seasons. Every fall, stink bugs look for a place to slumber through the winter, and they are particularly fond of modern homes. Brown marmorated stink bugs are roughly the size and shape of a large peanut. Alternating light and dark markings on their antennae give them a distinctly “woody” appearance, and their abdomen is easily recognizable, being wider at the back then tapering towards the head. They are able to flatten their bodies in order to squeeze into surprisingly slim gaps, and once a bug has found a cozy corner to hole up for the winter, it will emit a pheromone to attract additional stink bugs to the location. This pheromone is different from the rotting cilantro smell that stink bugs are infamous for. While you won’t hear stink bugs if they are overwintering, they do also emit a distinct buzzing when they fly.
To prevent stink bugs from invading your home, seal any cracks or gaps in your home’s exterior, including around windows, doors, and utility pipes. You can also use caulk or weatherstripping to seal these openings. If the stink bugs decide that they like your home, future generations will continue to return every winter if it remains accessible.
Controlling brown marmorated stink bugs can be challenging, but there are several strategies you can employ. It’s also important to note that killing a stink bug will not cause more to appear. There is no death pheromone. However, leaving the bugs alive will result in more showing up due to the pheromones stink bugs emit when they’re in a safe location.
- Handpicking: While time-consuming, handpicking and disposing of the bugs can be effective for small infestations.
- Insecticidal Soaps: These soaps can be effective against young nymphs but may not be as effective against adult bugs.
- Insecticidal Sprays: Pyrethrin-based insecticides can be used to kill adult bugs on contact. Neem Oil is also another good option for dealing with large adult populations.
- Biological Control: Natural enemies, such as predatory insects, can help to control populations of brown marmorated stink bugs. Encouraging and introducing beneficial insects, such as the assassin bug, in your garden can be a natural way to reduce pest populations. While this method of pest control is great for gardens, it is an obviously poor fit for exterminating stink bugs that have invaded your home.
- Sticky Traps: Worried the crack you sealed up is actually secure? Try setting out some sticky traps. Adults are likely to fly into them when scouting a place to overwinter – stink bugs are actually somewhat clumsy fliers.
ARBICO Organics was founded in 1979 in Arizona. Over 40 years later, ARBICO Organics continues to produce innovative means of natural biological pest control for a wide range of consumers. Their product line up ranges from environmentally friendly solutions to common garden pests to biological powerhouses used in professional agriculture and at racetracks.
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