The Brown Marmorated Stinkbug is beginning to wake up from hibernation and becoming active. As stink bugs begin to emerge they search for trees, shrubs and other plants like fruits and vegetables to begin to grow.
Adult stink bugs are approximately one inch long with shades of brown on both the upper and lower body surfaces. Stink bugs have a “shield” shape. The name “stink bug” refers to the scent glands located on the dorsal surface of the abdomen and the underside of the thorax.
Check out 10 Stink Bug Facts:
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HERE THAT LONG - The brown marmorated stink bug is from Asia. It was first reported in the United States in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1998. – Penn Dept of Agriculture
WHAT IS “MARMORATED?” - The word “marmorated” refers to its marble-like coloration. – Ohio State Extension
THEIR SMELL IS LIKE CILANTRO - The “stink” that stink bugs give off when they are disturbed is made up of the same components as cilantro. “People either love cilantro or hate cilantro.” - Columbus Dispatch
THEY DINE INSIDE AND OUT - Stink bugs like to be together. They jam themselves cheek by jowl into tight spots like the inside of the air filter on your lawn mower. When stinkbugs find a suitable place to spend the winter they release an aggregation pheromone to let others know about it. This pheromone is not the same chemical that gives them their foul odor. - Don Davis newsadvance.com
THEY CAN MAKE YOU ITCH - Stink bugs cause dermatitis in people when scratched by the sharp edges of a stink bug’s shell or exoskeleton. The result is swollen, reddened, itchy skin. Having a stink bug under your clothing and crawling up your arm or leg is most unpleasant, particularly if you are standing in line at a store or pumping gas into your car - Don Davis newsadvance.com
SOME STINK BUGS WILL ATTACK OTHER INSECTS - Many stinkbugs sink their needles into plants. They use their needles to suck up the sap or juice that the plants use to transport and store food. Some stinkbugs stick their beaks into other insects and suck their body fluids. When not feeding, stinkbugs hold their beaks underneath their bodies between their front legs. - howstuffworks.com
THEIR EGGS ARE ORGANIZED - Adults emerge from their overwintering sites in the spring, usually in early May. After they feed for about two weeks, they mate, and the females begin to lay eggs. Eggs are laid in clusters of about 28 eggs on the undersides of leaves from June to August. A single female can lay up to 400 eggs. Eggs hatch in three to seven days. - Ohio State Department of Entomology
THEY LIKE YELLOW - They are attracted to the color yellow. If you put something yellow in your yard away from your house, it may keep the stink bugs outside and away from you. - Kelly Garvin, Greenix Pest Control
BIRDS ARE JUST NOW STARTING TO EAT THEM - Stink bugs do not have a natural predator here in the USA, but things are starting to change. At first, birds wouldn't eat them, but they are starting to now. Lizards, too, have been seen munching on them. - USA Today
THEY LIKE TO BE CLOSE, REAL CLOSE - Stink bugs like to be together. They jam themselves cheek by jowl into tight spots like the inside of the air filter on your lawn mower. When stinkbugs find a suitable place to spend the winter they release an aggregation pheromone to let others know about it. This pheromone is not the same chemical that gives them their foul odor. - Don Davis newsadvance.com
BONUS FACT: THEY HAVE CAUSED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE - By 2010, the population exploded and was blamed for $37 million in losses for apple growers in the Mid-Atlantic region alone. USDA researchers say it will feed on some 300 different plants. - DelawareOnline
If overwintering pests like asian lady beetles, boxelder beetles, cluster flies, rodents and stink bugs are bugging you, try our tips above or contact your Saratoga NY pest professional. Contact Thomas Pest Services for a no charge consultation today to get rid of stink bugs!