Are You Ready for Stink Bug Season?

I vividly remember last year when I heard that all too familiar sound: a loud buzzing noise to be exact. What was it, you ask? It was a stink bug flying around my new apartment. I was lucky that only few made their way inside my apartment, but some people weren’t as lucky and we’re just weeks away from peak stink bug season.

The brown marmorated stink bug is a Japanese beetle that was accidentally introduced in the United States in 1998. With few natural predators in the US, their populations have grown and grown, with hundreds being noticed on some homes at one time. Last year was the first year the Agriculture Department researched the stink bug through an online survey title “The Great Stink Bug Count.” Home and business owners are invited to provide numbers and details of where stink bugs were sighted.

The Great Stink Bug Count started last year and has already provided some interesting facts. Stink bugs prefer to settle in brown and green homes (possibly because they blend in with the color) over light colored homes. They also like wood, cement and stone structures as opposed to those with aluminum siding.

The numbers associated with the stink bug count are astounding in some instances. One person who participated last year counted over 30,000 bugs!

With the gathered information, the Agriculture Department is looking at ways to kill the stink bug, including using US and Asian enemies (although vast studies have to be done before introducing another foreign pest to the U.S.).

Now is the prime time for stink bugs, with peak numbers expected around October 1. The pests are most noticeable now because they are moving indoors as the weather cools. They get into through small openings and look for dark areas like attics, basements and closets.

At Mosquito Squad, many of our clients, both residential and commercial, have been struggling with stink bugs for years. And when the beetle comes, they come in droves. We’ve been able to help them fight the pest with our stink bug control. Our eliminating product can be applied to the areas of the building where stink bugs are known to hide, like under eaves and gutters. Clients see a huge improvement on the number of bugs.

If you have questions regarding the stink bug, please contact your local Mosquito Squad office.