The brown marmorated stink bug is one of the most common household pests. Thankfully, though, they don’t have to be a headache this fall with expert tips on ways to keep them out of your home.
Native to east Asia, the brown marmorated stink bug was introduced to the United States in the 1990s, likely as a stowaway in overseas shipping, quickly spreading across North America and first detected here in West Virginia in 2004. It is best known for the odor it releases when threatened or crushed, which some describe as a cilantro-like scent, but most can agree is unpleasant. It is an invasive species, rapidly reproducing, feeding on a variety of agricultural crops and overwintering in one of the warmest places they can find — cozied up inside your insulated, heated house.
This is why you will find them clumsily buzzing around your house as the temperatures begin to drop. Often, they find their way in through spaces around windows, doors, baseboards, overhangs, dryer vents and other openings as small as 1/16 inch. This can be prevented by caulking gaps, screening the top of chimneys, securing crawl space entries and removing debris and vegetation from the building’s foundation.
“The best method of controlling stink bugs is to prevent their entry into the home by caulking around windows and door frames. Using insecticides on the outside of your home as well works best, especially on south and west-facing walls in September and October. Insecticides used alone only provide limited control,” said Carlos Quesada, West Virginia University Extension entomology specialist and assistant professor in the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design.
Although pesticides can provide some deterrent, they can also harm non-invasive insects. If preventative measures like caulking aren’t enough to keep them out, thankfully stink bugs are harmless and ungraceful, making them easy to vacuum up or drop into soapy water. Upon finding a suitable overwintering site, stink bugs do release an aggregation pheromone, a scent that attracts others. Contrary to popular belief, however, killing them is not what releases this pheromone, and the foul odor is unrelated — so it’s okay to just crush them if you don’t mind the smell.
“The best methods of control once stink bugs have entered the home are to vacuum them up or knock them into a bucket of soapy water,” said Quesada. “Be sure to empty the vacuum into soapy water because if they are released outside, they will just get back into your home. But beware, your vacuum may smell like stink bugs afterward, so using an older one for this purpose is advised.”
Just as they will not cause harm to people, stink bugs also do not cause structural or cosmetic damage to buildings and will not reproduce inside. Some people may report allergic reactions to the bug’s odor, especially people with a prior sensitivity to cockroaches or lady beetles, but this is not common.
If your pets are like mine, they might see stink bugs as a tasty snack. Thankfully, stink bugs are not inherently dangerous if consumed by pets, but can cause stomach upset, mouth and throat irritation, and, after ingesting a large number of them, the bug’s hard exoskeleton can cause a blockage that may need surgically removed. Don’t stress if your pet has one pungent, crunchy snack every once in a while, but monitor for symptoms and discourage regular consumption.
For more information, visit the WVU Extension’s page on brown marmorated stink bugs extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/pests/brown-marmorated-stink-bug.
