If you’ve looked out the front door, or even on your living room wall, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a pest that always seems to come back…the stink bug.
Some refer to the insect as the Shield Bug, and Purdue Extension Office Educator, Ken Eck, says they have been around for decades.
“What we have are called the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. They are a native of Asia and arrived in the United States in the late 1990s,” Eck says.
The bug is similar to another pest that infiltrates houses across the country later in the fall. Eck explains how and why they want to come indoors.
“You’re going to see them on the outside of houses, trying to get in. They are similar to ladybugs, which we have had challenges with in the past. The stink bugs are trying to find a place to stay during the winter before they go back out in the spring and cause more damage to gardens and vegetable crops,” he says.
Eck says the smelly pests will settle into any nook and cranny to get inside, but there are certain things you can do to prevent them from coming in.
“The best thing you can do is to have a very tight house. Make sure your screens are in place and check that your doors and windows are sealed properly,” Eck says.
When rounding up the insects, Eck says catching and releasing them will not help. Eck explains what you should do.
“Instead of using pesticides, throw the insects into a bucket of warm, soapy water. That pretty much kills the insects right away. If they’re in the house, you can use a broom and dustpan or vacuum cleaner to catch them. After this, throw them in a bucket of warm, soapy water instead of releasing them back outside,” he says.
And remember, they are called stink bugs for a reason. If they feel threatened or you decide to take matters into your own hands and smash one, prepare for an unpleasant smell.
