The Stink Bug is NOT Harmless
Managing the Stink Bug is challenging and the Stink Bug Machine™ is a great way to do it. Currently, there are no effective chemical means for killing or deterring the Stink Bug, except for those that work for short periods of time. By proactively ridding your home or office of these pests you can prevent bigger problems in the future. Keep reading below to learn more about the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and how the Stink Bug Machine™ can help.
What is a Stink Bug?
Although there are numerous species of stink bugs in the U.S., the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) was accidentally brought into the United States from Asia in the late 1990s. They release an unpleasant odor when disturbed or crushed, and have become a major nuisance to homes, businesses, gardens, landscaping, vineyards, and agriculture.
What Damage Can the Stink Bug do?
The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) is an invasive pest, meaning that it is undesirable and harmfully moving into different areas.
It is a nuisance bug and an agricultural pest: it is harmful to various plants, trees, and numerous fruit vegetable, and field crops.
It has few predators/natural enemies, so getting rid of it is up to us (nothing particularly wants to eat it nor kill it).
They release an unpleasant odor when disturbed or crushed (so people probably do not want to touch them or use their regular vacuum to collect them). They also leave behind reddish droppings on your curtains, walls, etc.
They tend to gather in large clusters. When one finds a suitable site, it releases an aggregation pheromone, a scent that attracts other brown marmorated stink bugs to the area.
What time of year are Stink Bugs most active?
Stink Bugs like to invite themselves into your home from early September until mid-June, with Fall and Spring being the most active times. Their smell, large numbers, tendency to get into things, and the reddish droppings they leave behind make them very undesirable houseguests. The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) becomes a nuisance pest both indoors and out when it is attracted to the outside of houses on warm fall days in search of protected, overwintering sites. It also appears during warmer sunny periods throughout the winter, and again as it emerges in the spring.
Stink bugs tend to collect in large clusters. When a BMSB finds a site that is suitable for overwintering, it releases a chemical called an aggregation pheromone, a scent that attracts other brown marmorated stink bugs to the area. The aggregation pheromone is, by the way, not the same chemical that causes them to stink.
Where in the United States are they?
The Stink Bug has made home to all of Pennsylvania, and large areas of the following states:
Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Why can’t I just spray them with a pesticide?
Managing this pest species is challenging, but agrochemicals are not recommended. First of all, their tough exterior is difficult to penetrate, so sprays are not very effective. Researchers are working to find the safest and most efficient methods to control BMSB. Chemical pesticides are also dangerous in many ways and have ongoing negative effects. Broad-spectrum sprays also kill beneficial insects, which perform valued services like pollination and pest control. In addition, the risk of pest resistance increases with greater use of chemical products.
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What does the brown marmorated stink bug look like and when are they most problematic for homeowners?
The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), though accidentally introduced into the U.S., is one of many species of stink bugs that can be found here. They are the typical “shield” shape of other stink bugs, almost as wide as they are long. The BMSB is about 17 mm long (equal to about .7 inch) and is distinguished from native stink bugs by the white banding on its antennae and legs, along with its marbled appearance (the alternating black and white pattern on the sides of its abdomen; “marmorated” means marbled).
The two seasons when people most notice the bugs are in the fall — when they come inside homes looking for warmth and shelter — and in the spring when they look for ways to come out of hiding.
Adults begin to search for overwintering sites starting in September through the first half of October. The best way to prevent stink bugs from entering your home is to seal up any openings through which they can enter. Cracks around windows, doors, siding, behind chimneys, and underneath fascia and other openings should be sealed with good quality silicone or silicone-latex caulk. Weather stripping around doors and windows may also help. A foam sealant can be used if there are small openings where pipes or wires enter the house. Lastly, damaged screens should be repaired or replaced, and window and wall air conditioners should be removed or sealed off.
In the fall, once they find their way in, stink bugs tend to head toward the attic. However, they may congregate almost anywhere, such as within stacks of newspapers or bookcases; under beds and sofas; in cracks under or behind baseboards, window, and door trim; and in piles of clothes. Thankfully, they will not cause structural damage or reproduce in your house. They are simply looking for a place to survive the winter.
The emergence of adult bugs from overwintering sites can begin in mid-April if temperatures are suitably warm. Emergence tends to peak from about mid-May to early- to mid-June and taper off by the end of June.
When temperatures start to warm in the spring, and sunlight is brighter, stronger and warmer, stink bugs will begin to find their way out. It is a good idea to try to locate any openings they can come out of and seal them off. Typically, stink bugs will emerge from cracks under or behind baseboards, around window and door trim, and around exhaust fans or lights in ceilings. Seal these openings with caulk or other suitable materials to prevent the insects from crawling out.
More about Stink Bugs…
More and more people in the U.S. are having to deal with the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys. It is truly a nuisance bug: it is an agricultural pest; it is invasive (meaning that it is undesirable and harmfully moving into different areas); it has few natural enemies, and it often tries to enter people’s homes. Dealing with these bugs has not been easy, as when they are crushed or become irritated, the aptly named stink bug emits a pungent odor from scent glands on its abdomen. Therefore, many people would rather not kill them and then have to deal with the smell. Fortunately, they do not bite people or animals.
The brown marmorated stink bug is native to China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea but was accidentally introduced into the U.S., perhaps arriving in a shipping container. First noted in 1998 near Allentown, PA, it has since spread throughout the mid-Atlantic region, across the United States, and into Canada: It continues to expand its range and impact.
BMSB becomes a nuisance pest both indoors and out when it is attracted to the outside of houses on warm fall days in search of protected, overwintering sites. It also appears during warmer sunny periods throughout the winter, and again as it emerges in the spring.
Stink bugs tend to collect in large clusters. When a BMSB finds a site that is suitable for overwintering, it releases a chemical called an aggregation pheromone, a scent that attracts other brown marmorated stink bugs to the area. The aggregation pheromone is, by the way, not the same chemical that causes them to stink.
Managing this pest species is challenging. Researchers are working to find the safest and most effective methods to control BMSB. Chemical pesticides are dangerous in many ways and have ongoing negative effects. Some farmers have sprayed aggressively to keep BMSB in check, despite uncertainty about which products effectively control it. But broad-spectrum sprays also kill beneficial insects that help to control pest populations, presenting a setback for growers who use integrated pest management to promote nature’s own checks and balances on their farms. In addition, the risk of pest resistance increases with greater use of chemical products.