Last week, it was reported that farms on Long Island were being overrun by stink bugs, threatening to kill millions of dollars worth of crops. But it’s not just farmers who have to deal with these ugly and smelly pests. Homeowners across the US, and especially in New England, are dealing with stink bugs in their outdoor yards and inside their homes. Entomologists say the stink bug problem will make the bed bug resurgence seem tame by comparison.
Stink bugs live up to their name. When crushed or disturbed, their glands expel a foul-smelling fluid described as rancid almonds or moldy fruit. This scent allows them to avoid being eaten by various species of birds and lizards. If a lot of them are squashed or stuffed into a vacuum, their odor can be quite evident.
Stink bugs will release their stench on almost any surface they land on and it will last a long time: 6 months or more. This persistent odor attracts other stink bugs that have hibernated nearby, as well as new stink bugs looking for a good place to reside for the coming winter. And once your home has been “stinky,” stink bugs will return year after year. So even though they’re gone for the summer, don’t be surprised when they return next fall. Dead stink bugs aren’t good news either: stink bug carcasses can attract carrion-eating insects like carpet beetles that can cause you even more costly problems.
These nasty insects not only emit an odor, but many people have allergic reactions to this discharge. Try not to touch them and be careful if you do, not only will they release that nasty smell, but many species can inflict a nasty bite, stabbing you with the same sharp proboscis they use to pierce fruit and suck plant juices. Covered in an armor-like shell, insects can be terrifying when they enter your home and fly noisily.
Like the boxelder bugs and multicolored Asian ladybugs I wrote about in another article, brown marmoreal stink bugs (BMSBs) are usually found in the garden. A few in the garden won’t do much damage. However, if you make them eat the very produce you are trying to grow, the damage they cause will quickly ruin your entire effort. Feeding on tree fruits such as apples results in a characteristic distortion known as “cat face”, rendering the fruit unmarketable as fresh.
The real problem occurs when stink bugs make their way into homes and structures. They are attracted to light and begin to invade the house during the long summer nights when the porch and deck lights are on and the doors are opened and closed. Then, as the fall evenings start to get cooler and the days get shorter, stink bugs will increase their efforts to find a warm place to spend the winter, where they are protected from rain, cold and other elements.
You may find them clinging to your shades and liners, crawling up your walls, hiding in your lampshades, and nestling in your laundry baskets. They will find their way into cracks and crevices, under siding, in soffits, around door and window frames, under roof tiles, and into any crawl space or attic vent that has openings small enough for them to fit. . Since stink bugs like to live in the house for a long time, they often burrow into attics and wall voids. Once inside the house, they will be active throughout the winter.
But here’s the good news: They don’t breed indoors, and they eat almost nothing. They do not eat fabrics or furniture and are not poisonous. In fact, the Vietnamese eat them fried, like popcorn.