Cooler temperatures drive stink bugs indoors

 

[October 17, 2024] 

Falling temperatures bring colorful foliage, flannel shirts and pumpkin-flavored treats. Unfortunately, cooler weather also brings stink bugs.

These shield-shaped invasive pests – officially named brown marmorated stink bugs – are native to China and first made their debut in the US in the late 90s. They feed on the Midwestern landscape, munching everything from residential landscaping to agriculture like soybeans, apples and pears.

“The ‘stink’ is a defense mechanism. So don’t smash them and avoid disturbing them too much,” said Scott Schirmer, Nursery and Northern Field Office Section Manager with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. “They are a nuisance, but stink bugs will not kill indoor plants or harm anything else indoors. Chances are you don’t even notice most of them that make their way inside.”

So where do they come from?

“In the summer, they are living in and eating many fruits and vegetables,” said Kacie Athey, Specialty Crops Entomologist and Extension Specialist with the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “They cannot tolerate extremely cold temperatures and seek enclosed areas to overwinter in, and our homes make great places for them.”

Homeowners might see dozens on screen doors and find them in unexpected places throughout the house. Pesticides should not be sprayed in the home. Sprays are not effective in killing the bugs and leave residue that fails to control the pest.

Instead, the U of I Extension offers the following tips to control stink bugs at home:

Use a vacuum to suck up adults or drop them in soapy water.

Take steps in early fall to caulk cracks and crevices around the house.

Prevent movement in from the outside by repairing windows and putting on door sweeps.

[Illinois Office of Communication and Information]