This article provides some basic facts about Stink Bugs. These facts are for everyday people who simply want to get and keep the bugs out of their house. Insofar as these little stinkers are relatively new to this country, there's not as much known about them as other pests. Nevertheless, we humans are making progress!
Although there is a wide variety of stink bugs, the one most common in North America is the brown stink bug. You'll be pleased to know that this little creature is virtually harmless to humans, but they sure do stink! And they look like something out of a horror film too… very "prehistoric".
I've learned a couple of cool ways to kill them for anybody who might be interested. The first way is with hairspray! Just give the bug a quick spray and he'll drop like a rock. Another, more organic item you can use is pepper spray. They hate it. So I guess you can burn their eyes and make their hair look good at the same time! Either way, they're history. Another very effective and cheap way to kill Stink Bugs is to spray them with a 50/50 mixture of water and liquid soap.
So what makes these little guys stink so much? It's a defense mechanism. They have "stink glands" on their stomach. Whenever they feel threatened they release a blast of pungent spray from these glands. And, like a skunk, it's usually enough to discourage any would-be predator from harming or eating them.
Brown stink bugs will hibernate in the winter. This is the main reason they try to get in your house. They'll slip in under a door or window, and even find tiny cracks you don't even know about. But the good thing is, they don't reproduce indoors, like roaches.
Stink Bugs in your yard or shed will wake up come Springtime. They will then proceed to lay 20 or 30 eggs on the underside of leaves in May, June, July and August. Once the eggs hatch, the new generation of stink bugs will live for about 1 year, feeding on fruits and vegetables.
Stink bugs don't like extreme temperatures. On a hot sunny day you'll find them in the shade. On cold days they'll be out in the sun… or in your house! If you're not up to swatting them with something, you can always use a vacuum cleaner to suck them up. But be advised that your vacuum will smell like stink bugs afterwards, so you might want to empty it right away.
So in short, seal all your cracks, use window screens and close the door. But don't waste your energy on having a panic attack about them… they're not worth it.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
A Stink Bugs' Point Of View
Hello Human, I'm a Stink Bug. I just arrived in your country a few years ago from China. Some friends and I stowed away inside a shipping crate one day and somehow ended up in a place called Allentown, I've heard it's somewhere in Pennsylvania (whatever that is). It's not important though because we absolutely love it here! So much in fact that we plan to stay whether you like it or not! Besides, there's not much you can do about it anyway. Being deported is not high on our list of things to be concerned about.
Since our arrival it's taken some time to really get established in our new homeland, but things are looking up. Being the fun-loving type, our population has grown by leaps and bounds. In fact, reports from the front tell us that we have already established ourselves in at least 28 other counties besides Lehigh , and even taken some new territories like Maryland and New Jersey… wherever they are.
One thing I don't understand though, is why do you call us "Stink Bugs"? Sure we have these glands on our stomachs which spray a liquid when we feel threatened, but we think it smells good. Apparently you don't agree. Either way this defense mechanism works pretty well for us. But don't tell anybody - it's really harmless! And this rumor going around about us biting people is completely false. Have you looked at the size of our heads? Our mouths are so small we couldn't bite people if we wanted to! Give me a break!
The only downside about our new country is how cold it gets in the Winter. Wow it gets cold here! This is why we try to get into your nests - or houses as you call them - so we can hibernate. I don't like to brag but it's so easy to enter your houses it's unbelievable. I can crawl under a door or window, through small cracks in you foundation, or get in through just about any opening available. I shouldn't be telling you this though, next thing you know you guys will be patching or sealing all those openings and putting properly fitting sweeps on the bottoms of your doors. But I never said I was smart, just a creative opportunist!
I totally love it here in the Spring and Summer though. My mate will go out and lay 20 to 30 eggs on the underside of leaves in the Spring. By late Fall our kids will be big enough to join us inside your house for a long winters' nap. And the abundance and variety of food here is tremendous! We absolutely love fruit and vegetable plants. We'll all meet anywhere we can find such culinary delights. It's like a never-ending picnic!
But since we don't like the hot sun, lots of times we'll crawl under a deck or porch until it cools down a bit. Fact is, we'll crawl under just about anything that will provide us with a little shade. But don't tell anybody. Next thing you know people will be spraying those icky pesticides in those areas and we'll have to move on.
I've said enough, Later Dude!
Since our arrival it's taken some time to really get established in our new homeland, but things are looking up. Being the fun-loving type, our population has grown by leaps and bounds. In fact, reports from the front tell us that we have already established ourselves in at least 28 other counties besides Lehigh , and even taken some new territories like Maryland and New Jersey… wherever they are.
One thing I don't understand though, is why do you call us "Stink Bugs"? Sure we have these glands on our stomachs which spray a liquid when we feel threatened, but we think it smells good. Apparently you don't agree. Either way this defense mechanism works pretty well for us. But don't tell anybody - it's really harmless! And this rumor going around about us biting people is completely false. Have you looked at the size of our heads? Our mouths are so small we couldn't bite people if we wanted to! Give me a break!
The only downside about our new country is how cold it gets in the Winter. Wow it gets cold here! This is why we try to get into your nests - or houses as you call them - so we can hibernate. I don't like to brag but it's so easy to enter your houses it's unbelievable. I can crawl under a door or window, through small cracks in you foundation, or get in through just about any opening available. I shouldn't be telling you this though, next thing you know you guys will be patching or sealing all those openings and putting properly fitting sweeps on the bottoms of your doors. But I never said I was smart, just a creative opportunist!
I totally love it here in the Spring and Summer though. My mate will go out and lay 20 to 30 eggs on the underside of leaves in the Spring. By late Fall our kids will be big enough to join us inside your house for a long winters' nap. And the abundance and variety of food here is tremendous! We absolutely love fruit and vegetable plants. We'll all meet anywhere we can find such culinary delights. It's like a never-ending picnic!
But since we don't like the hot sun, lots of times we'll crawl under a deck or porch until it cools down a bit. Fact is, we'll crawl under just about anything that will provide us with a little shade. But don't tell anybody. Next thing you know people will be spraying those icky pesticides in those areas and we'll have to move on.
I've said enough, Later Dude!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
An Exterminators' View On Stink Bugs
Hi Friends! Having a background as professional exterminator for a nationally known company, I feel uniquely qualified to address the subject of Stink Bugs. I'd like to give you some basic facts about this new insect, as well as some tips on controlling them. Notice I said "controlling" not eliminating. Here are some Stink Bug facts:
Stink Bugs, like all other insects, will never be eliminated. And looking at the big picture, they're not really all that bad compared to things like hornets, yellow jackets, fleas, bedbugs, carpenter ants, etc. A bee sting can be very serious to those who are sensitive, sending them into anaphylactic shock. The best a Stink Bug can do is make you turn up you nose!
So right off the bat here, let's get rid of the rumor that Stink Bugs bite, THEY DO NOT. Their defense mechanism is a chemical spray that well… stinks! That's it. I suppose if some of that chemical were to get in your eyes it could cause some minor irritation, but that's the extent of it.
These bugs are flat out ugly and look menacing, but they're totally harmless. They do fly and can startle you if they buzz by you ear, but it's the same with a hummingbird. You're not afraid of a hummingbird are you? So don't panic over a Stink Bug.
Now how do we go about controlling them? Here are a couple more Stink Bug facts for you. You can easily control Stink Bugs without having to hire a professional exterminator like myself to do it for you. Fact: Stink Bugs hate extreme temperatures. When it's hot, they head for the shade. When it's cold, they head for heat. And they love to feed on fruits and vegetables. That's the extent of a Stink Bugs' life right there.
Your house provides both heat and shade. It's a Stink Bugs Heaven! The best way to cast them out of Heaven is to prevent them from getting in. Take a good look around. Do your doors and windows seal properly? Are there holes or cracks which might allow them access? Install door sweeps (or keep them closed) and seal all the holes and cracks you can find. If one or two still finds a way in, swat it with something or suck it up with your vacuum cleaner.
Realistically, a few will still get in no matter how many precautions you take. That's life.
Outside the house, try to keep fruit and vegetable plants at a distance from the house. Look for shady areas where Stink Bugs could hide. This would include under decks, porches and railings, carports or almost anywhere. Treating these areas with a pesticide once every couple of weeks will help prevent them from congregating there. You will inevitably kill a few with this precaution, but trying to kill all of them is futile.
Bottom Line: When controlling Stink Bugs, a common-sense approach works best.
Stink Bugs, like all other insects, will never be eliminated. And looking at the big picture, they're not really all that bad compared to things like hornets, yellow jackets, fleas, bedbugs, carpenter ants, etc. A bee sting can be very serious to those who are sensitive, sending them into anaphylactic shock. The best a Stink Bug can do is make you turn up you nose!
So right off the bat here, let's get rid of the rumor that Stink Bugs bite, THEY DO NOT. Their defense mechanism is a chemical spray that well… stinks! That's it. I suppose if some of that chemical were to get in your eyes it could cause some minor irritation, but that's the extent of it.
These bugs are flat out ugly and look menacing, but they're totally harmless. They do fly and can startle you if they buzz by you ear, but it's the same with a hummingbird. You're not afraid of a hummingbird are you? So don't panic over a Stink Bug.
Now how do we go about controlling them? Here are a couple more Stink Bug facts for you. You can easily control Stink Bugs without having to hire a professional exterminator like myself to do it for you. Fact: Stink Bugs hate extreme temperatures. When it's hot, they head for the shade. When it's cold, they head for heat. And they love to feed on fruits and vegetables. That's the extent of a Stink Bugs' life right there.
Your house provides both heat and shade. It's a Stink Bugs Heaven! The best way to cast them out of Heaven is to prevent them from getting in. Take a good look around. Do your doors and windows seal properly? Are there holes or cracks which might allow them access? Install door sweeps (or keep them closed) and seal all the holes and cracks you can find. If one or two still finds a way in, swat it with something or suck it up with your vacuum cleaner.
Realistically, a few will still get in no matter how many precautions you take. That's life.
Outside the house, try to keep fruit and vegetable plants at a distance from the house. Look for shady areas where Stink Bugs could hide. This would include under decks, porches and railings, carports or almost anywhere. Treating these areas with a pesticide once every couple of weeks will help prevent them from congregating there. You will inevitably kill a few with this precaution, but trying to kill all of them is futile.
Bottom Line: When controlling Stink Bugs, a common-sense approach works best.
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