Stink Bug 101

Today these bugs reside in 46 of our states and four Canadian provinces. In eleven of the states, including New Jersey, stink bugs have reached a critical level and are a severe agricultural threat. The term marmorated means having a marbled or streak appearance. Here are traits that can help you identify a BMSB.

• Variegated spotty brown color with marbled or streaked markings

• Black and white banding on legs

• Shield shaped bodies

• Spikes or bumps along the upper back

• Long antenna

• ⅝ inch long

There are a few other occasional invader pests that may be confused with a BMSB, but the traits listed above should help you, and, of course, there is the tell tale smell when stink bugs are squashed.

Overwintering

If it’s a warm day in February and you see a few stink bugs roaming around on your porch, you can bet there is an entire population overwintering somewhere inside your house. They are not overly picky but do prefer dry spaces. Attics, crawl spaces, or inside the walls are all equally cozy for them the bed down for the winter. Bed bugs can usually tough out the winter unless the temperature drops below 10°F. The one upside is that they do not mate during the winter, so you won’t have to worry about the population tripling (at least until spring).

Complete Nuisance

When it comes to the direct effect that stink bugs have on humans – aside from their smell – there really isn’t one. Besides being a smelly nuisance, they do not bite humans or their pets. Of course, nobody likes to share their home with bugs, which is reason enough to contact Alliance Pest Services. When stink bugs do invade their sheer numbers are staggering. When you multiply all those stinky bugs… you have a very stinky house.

It wouldn’t be so bad if that was the extent of their annoyance, but alas it is not. Stink bugs can wreak havoc on our food supply. They invade orchards and crops and destroy them in short order. When stink bugs eat crops they pierce the skin and cause fruit to rot as well as attract ants. They harm trees, shrubs, commercial nurseries, and residential landscaping. Because they can fly, moving from crop to crop is easy for them. The crops that seem to see the biggest impact from a stink bug infestation are:

• Soybeans

• Corn

• Wheat

• Tomatos

• Peppers

• Beans

• Squash

• Pecans

• Peaches

• Pears

• Apples

• Citrus Fruits

• Cherries

• Berries

• Grapes

If any of these are among your favorites, then you can take this invasion personally. These bugs are a serious threat.

How Do I Get Rid Of Them

We all need to do our part in the battle. The best way to deal with stink bugs, especially those that have established themselves in your walls, is with professional assistance. It is imperative that we eradicate these pests. They have no place in our ecosystem or the food chain in New Jersey. Alliance Pest Services has been working on the best ways to handle this situation. Because New Jersey is one of the eleven states marked as being in severe agriculture danger, any time this pest is spotted it is important to report it. Please help our state eradicate this pest by calling for your free estimate today.