Should I Be Worried About Stink Bugs?

Back-to-school photos are all over social media, Pumpkin Spice is back at Dunkin', and you can buy fall decorations anywhere. Friends, yes, fall is almost here. Some of us will cry on September 22 as we say goodbye to summer, while others will be happy to welcome fall and all its beauty. Whether you like or dislike fall, we have to remind you that it also stinks bug season in New Jersey.

What Are Stink Bugs?

Great question. Few people like the brown marmorated stink bug and farmers in New Jersey and other states hate it. The Stop BMSB website says that stink bugs are voracious eaters that hurt fruit, vegetable, and nut crops. The BMSB was brought to the United States by accident in the late 1990s. It came from Asia and quickly spread to the mid-Atlantic states, where it did a lot of damage to crops.

Stink bugs are called that because a gland on their thoraxes makes them smell bad. Their smell is a defense mechanism to keep away predators, and stink bugs are not dangerous to human health. They just stink, and not just in one way.

Here's what you should look for to find stink bugs in and around your house:

• Shield-shaped bugs that vary in color from gray to brown
• Those with dark and light bands on their bellies
• White bands on the antennae and legs

How Do Stink Bugs Get in My House?

When it gets cold outside, we put on our favorite sweatshirts, coats, and beanies to stay warm. Stink bugs look for places that are warm and safe to spend the winter. As the weather starts to get cooler in Jersey City, Hoboken, Union City, Weehawken, and other places in New Jersey, these pests will move inside in large numbers to find shelter. What do they do to get in? Here are a few possible ways:
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• Spaces around pipes and other utilities
• No covers on the vents
• There are cracks and holes around the foundation, the windows, and other parts of the building.
• Gaps under doors where weather stripping isn't there or isn't working​​

​On a side note, stink bugs aren't the only ones who get inside through the ways we just talked about. Ants, spiders, termites, and other house pests all use these same paths to get inside.

Why Do Stink Bugs Invade My Home?

Most likely, stink bugs are drawn to places with light, water, and food. Keep outdoor lighting to a minimum, get rid of moisture buildup inside and outside your home, fix clogged drains and leaky pipes, and keep your kitchen clean and food in containers with tight-fitting lids. These are all great ways to keep stink bugs (and a lot of other bugs and a couple of types of rodents in New Jersey) out of your home.

Myth Bust: If I Kill a Stink Bug, Will More Come?

We know it sounds strange, but a lot of people ask us if killing a stink bug will bring more stink bugs. You'll be happy to hear that the short answer is no. Even though stink bugs stink to attract other stink bugs, killing one stink bug won't bring more stink bugs to your home.

Where Do Stink Bugs Hide?

Stink bugs reproduce throughout the year in warm climates. However, in areas experiencing winter, the adult stink bug hides under boards, stones, weeds, and ground covers, with the adults becoming active in springtime. Thus, stink bugs are most active and visible during warm climates and tend to hide in cold temperatures. They come out of their hiding when in search of warmth.

On Plants

When feeding, stink bugs feed on available plants, Leaves, and stems of weeds, wild plants, and grass—a common characteristic when feeding is that the adult stink bug deposits its eggs on leaves' backs. After hatching the left eggs on the leaves, the immature stick bugs mostly migrate to the surrounding fields. The nymphs depend on fruits, nuts, seeds, and also ornamental plants.

In Cracks & Holds

During winter, adult stink bugs often seek out hiding places. Hence, in suburbs and cities, the bugs' hiding places are on the sides of the houses. Houses with cracks or holes tend to accommodate the bugs, where they stay in crawl places and quiet places such as the attic. However, on warm sunny days, they become active but seldom come out until its spring.
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The way stink bugs feed on developing fruits causes the fruit to develop a scar at the site where they are feeding. With the growth of the fruit, there is a cat face-like scar that emerges, which causes people to name the insects as the cat-face insect. Their feeding habit involves piercing the plant's skin to extract the juices. Due to its toxic saliva, cells are killed at feeding sites. The hiding places for stink bugs depend on the area as much as it does on climate. 

Hiding places in the fields and farms are often different from hiding places in suburbs and cities. While in the houses, when they become warm enough, they come out into the living spaces of their house, where their presence and foul spells are very unpleasant. On the exterior sides of the houses, be on the lookout around vents, eaves, windows, and door frames that are most exposed to the sun.

How to Keep Stink Bugs Out of Your Home​

People say that essential oils like mint will naturally keep stink bugs away, but it won't kill them. Diatomaceous Earth is another thing you can do yourself. It is a natural sedimentary rock that contains chemicals that break down the waxy layer that stink bugs use to protect themselves. It works by drying out stink bugs.
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If you have stink bugs, the best way to get rid of them is to hire a professional. It's best to plan ahead of time before these bugs become a problem. Jersey City Exterminator starts making stink bug control appointments in the middle of summer BEFORE stink bugs start looking for a place to spend the winter. This service includes both an outside treatment that keeps stink bugs from getting inside and work to keep them out. In simple terms, pest exclusion is the act of making something pest-proof. A licensed Jersey City Exterminator worker will seal off places where pests could get in.

Should You Bother Removing Stink Bugs?

You can certainly live with stink bugs. They don't bite, and they don't have babies inside. But they're bugs... in your house. Uninvited. Jersey City Exterminator can help you avoid stink bugs in and around your home this fall if you live in Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Somerset, or Union County. Contact us today to set up a treatment for your stink bugs, or visit our stink bug control page to learn more.