They’re back and they drive me nuts! No, I’m not talking about bats… those scare the pee out of me, I’m talking about stink bugs!

I’m sure you’ve seen one or twenty already.  They’re little brown bugs that just seem to show up out of nowhere and when you smash them they stink!  Actually I like the description WZZM had about them:

...looks like a dark brown cornflake with legs and long antennas...

 

Officially they're Asian brown marmorated stink bugs. Apparently they first showed up in the 2010, but now this year we’re having an invasion it seems, and it's only going to get worse in the years to come as they continue to reproduce during the summer months.

The good thing is, they really don’t do anything to or in your house, but hang around and stink when smashed.  They're not like silverfish or the moths that eat your clothes, they don’t bite people and they don’t even reproduce during the winter. They're only there because THEY HATE THE COLD!  (I know, move south then, right?!)

During the summer these bugs do become a nuisance to farmers and gardeners.  They like to land on fruits and veggies and suck the juice out of them.  So basically, don’t feel bad about ridding your house of them, you're keeping healthy food cheaper in the summer!

How do you get rid of the stink bugs? Good question… I’ve told you smashing them produces a nasty odor, granted it doesn’t last long, but who wants a farting bug in their house? So to get rid of the stink bug, bug experts say to drown them in soapy water. This seems to be the quickest and least smelly way to get rid of the pest.

You can also just suck them up with the vacuum, but you run the stink risk.

WZZM also got a few tips on how to keep the bugs out of your house completely from bug-sperts (that’s an expert in bugs, I made it up..) from Pennsylvania State University and Michigan State University:

  • Keep them out. Seal cracks around windows, doors, siding, utility pipes, behind chimneys, and underneath wood fascia with silicone or silicone-latex caulk. Repair damaged screens on doors and windows.

  • Look for where they came in. 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 materials.

  • Use a pesticide outdoors as bugs gather.

  • Suck them up: Use a vacuum to remove live and dead stink bugs from interior areas with the aid of a vacuum cleaner. The downside: This might make your vacuum smell bad.

  • Drown them in a bucket or pan partly filled with soapy water.

  • Using pesticides indoors isn't recommended because it won't prevent more bugs from coming in, and carpet beetles may be attracted to feed on carcasses of dead insects.

 

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