Stink bugs are everywhere. How to keep them out of your home and get rid of them

If it seems like stink bugs are everywhere right now, you're not alone. 

The brown marmorated stink bugs are identified by their shield-like body and are brown and gray with a lighter underbelly. 

The invasive species first made landfall in North America through an accidental import from Asia in the late 1990s, according to StopBMSB.org, a website devoted to the management of brown marmorated stink bug in U.S. and supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Early sightings of the bug were in Allentown, Pennsylvania, but they have since spread to 47 states around the country, including Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

According to the University of Kentucky's Department of Entomology, stink bugs were first reported in Kentucky in 2010. 

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Why do I suddenly have stink bugs?

Brown marmorated stink bugs often seek shelter inside houses and other buildings during the fall to escape from the cold.

Are stink bugs harmful?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, while large infestations can be a nuisance, they do not bite people or animals, nor do they damage buildings.

How to stop stink bugs from coming in your house

The EPA suggests these tips on keeping stink bugs out of your home:

• Caulk windows inside and out.
• Weather strip entry doors and/or install door sweeps if daylight is visible around the perimeter of the door.
• Rake away debris and edible vegetation from your home’s foundation.
• Seal foundation cracks.
• Secure crawlspace entries.
• When insulating exposed plumbing pipes around the foundation or the crawlspace of your home, caulk small gaps and fill larger ones with steel wool.
• If your home has a fireplace, cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out pests.
• Contact a pest control professional to treat surrounding vegetation near your home’s foundation.

How to get rid of stink bugs

When disturbed or squashed, stink bugs release an unpleasant odor from scent glands on their abdomen, the EPA said.

Because of the odor, getting rid of them takes some care. Here are some options: 

Capture and release: Stink bugs are attracted to light. Lure them into a jar or bottle, then dispose of them by throwing them outside or by placing them in a sealed container in the trash.

Use a pesticide, but outdoors only. Using pesticides indoors isn't recommended because it won't prevent more bugs from coming in. 

Use a vacuum to remove live and dead stink bugs from interior areas with the aid of a vacuum cleaner. The downside: Your vacuum might smell bad, so empty as soon as possible.

Drown them in a bucket or pan partly filled with soapy water. The EPA suggests a metal pan and a light source to attract them.

Want to know more about brown marmorated stink bugs? More information can be found from Ohio State University.

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