Immediately below is a quick reference guide to information that you should know about stink bugs and how to prevent them from entering your home, offices or other structures. For more detailed information, jump down further.
The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is an overwintering insect. This means that this pest will move into buildings or other enclosures to survive the cold of winter months.
Stink bugs enter structures in the late summer (September) and remain in buildings until their food source becomes available (June).
Stink bug activity can be reduced by as much as 90%-100% if treatments are made in early September. Treatments made later in the fall can still be effective but will become less effective compared to treatments earlier in the season. (Read more on this here.)
The Brown Marmorated stink bug is not indigenous to the United States, but instead, East Asia. As a result, they have recently emerged as major problem through various regions in this country.
What are Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs and Where do they Come From?
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs (stink bug) are overwintering insects that are indigenous to countries in East Asia such as China and Japan. This insect was introduced to the United States between in 1996-1997 in Allentown, PA.
Because they are overwintering pests they will enter structures such as homes or offices in order to survive the cold winter months. Once stink bugs enter a home they do not pose a risk to the structure or the health of the occupants. In fact, this insect is generally considered a nuisance pest due to the great numbers in which they infest structures. More recently we are seeing stink bug populations taking a firm root and entomologists are expecting in-home infestations to increase dramatically.
How and Why are Stink Bugs Entering My Home or Office?
Stink bugs enter structures to survive the cold winter months, seeking the warmth found within the insulated walls of the building. They enter through tiny gaps around windows, doors, vents, chimneys or the eves of the structure. During the fall months, stink bugs can be very active in the home as they try to settle down for the winter.
Activity may continue through the cold winter months as the sun or heating system warms walls. Activity can peak again as temperatures warm in April, May and June, when they migrate outdoors to feed on seed and fruit producing plants. Stink bugs don’t reproduce indoors, they are simply using the wall voids of the structure as a resting place to insulate themselves from the cold winter temperatures.
How can I Prevent Stink Bugs From Entering My Home?
In order to reduce this insect’s activity by 90-100%, stink bug treatment programs should be performed the last week of August through the September 14th. Treatment performed later in the fall will still reduce activity, but not as effectively.
We strongly suggest this specific timeframe due to evidence that stink bugs are moving into homes, office and other structures much earlier than other overwintering pests such as lady bugs, box-elder bugs, and weevils that tend to migrate indoors later in the fall.
There are do-it-yourself projects that can help reduce the infestation of stink bugs:
Caulk any gaps around windows doors, vents & eves particularly in areas where stink bugs are seen often.
Screen louvered attic or soffit vents with window screening.
Consider the types of plants that surround your structure. Stink bugs rely on seed and fruit producing plants as food source, careful selection of the types of plants that surround your home or office can play and important rule in reduction.
I’ve had Stink Bug Services Performed in the Past Without Much Success, Why will it be Different Now?
Initially, because this pest was recently introduced to the United States, there were no well-established treatment protocols.However, Cooper Pest Solutions has developed new control methods that are highly effective. This new program was the result of information obtained through Cooper Pest Solutions partnership with RutgersUniversity to better understand the relationship between stink bug activity on host plants and movement into structures to overwinter.
Through our research with Rutgers University, Cooper Pest Solutions has developed a program that can reduced stink bug activity by 90-100% if performed during the critical time frame of the last week of August through September 15th. Treatment performed later in the fall will still reduce activity, but not as effectively.
I Want More Information about Stink Bugs, Where do I Look?
Rutgers University has an extensive page on stink bugs, please note the navigation link located on the right-hand side of the Rutgers page. These links will provide detailed information. http://njaes.rutgers.edu/stinkbug/about.asp
All Stink Bugs are approximately 17 mm (5/8” inch) long with a ‘shield’ shaped body that is brown-grey in color. There are five immature stages of Stink Bugs, ranging in size from 2.4 mm to 12 mm in length. During these five stages, body coloring ranges from yellow-red to off-white with red spots. The adult stink bugs are usually brown, grey, and have patterns and splotches of green-brown on their bodies.
