The Root Cause for a Stinkbug Infestation

Know the Enemy

• Stinkbugs are small flying insects that grow to less than 1 inch in length and have six legs, a distinctive shield-shaped torso and two long antennae. They get their name from the foul odor they generate when they are threatened or crushed. These smelly insects feed on a variety of plants, including most common garden plants. Some species of stinkbug feed on the succulent juices of leaves and fruit. These pests cause discoloration of fruit and leaves on the plants in your garden but rarely do enough damage to harm plants. Several beneficial species of stinkbug prey on other insects, including the species of stinkbug that feeds on plants.

Garden Pests

• Stinkbugs infesting your garden are enjoying the rich feeding ground that your plants provide. Severe infestations are more likely when your garden is near an overgrown area. Tall grass and thick brush serve as mating grounds where stinkbugs lay clusters of eggs and hibernate during the winter. When stinkbugs emerge from their winter dormancy in these overgrown areas, they will invade the nearest attractive source of food. Cutting down areas of tall grass or brush near your garden will discourage stinkbugs from nesting near your garden. They look for thick vegetation to lay their eggs during the early summer. Nymphs grow into mature stinkbugs in roughly five weeks after they hatch, causing high populations to appear in late summer to early fall.

Winter Sleep Over

• A few harmless looking stinkbugs around the outside of your home in the fall can quickly develop into a full-blown infestation. Stinkbugs that are looking for a warm place to spend the winter will release a pheromone to attract other stinkbugs in the area, once they have found a way into the warmth and comfort of your home. They are difficult to exclude from the home since they can enter through any crack bigger than 1/16 inch in size. In most cases, they will try to move indoors after the first frost of the fall season.

Getting Rid of Stinkbugs

• Sealing gaps around doors and windows with weather stripping or caulk helps keep these pests out of your home and improves your energy efficiency during the winter. If they are already in your home, the easiest way to deal with stinkbugs is to suck them up with a vacuum cleaner and dump them into a jar of soapy water to drown. Releasing the stinkbugs that you catch is pointless, since the pheromones they release will quickly draw them back indoors.