As the seasons change and the weather gets colder, it’s normal to see more bugs indoors as they try to find shelter. One of the most common pests in the Kentuckiana region is the stink bug, Halyomorpha halys. Recognizable by its grayish-brown color and “shield-shaped” body, it is annoying and also emits an unpleasant odor.

Stink bugs are experts at finding cracks in windows, doors, and walls. If you’re looking for warmth, you may find them in sunlight, on the side of a building, or in particularly warm spots throughout your home. However, they can also spend the winter hiding in spaces between walls or ventilation ducts. They will resurface in the spring, trying to find a way back outside.

Stink bugs are found almost everywhere in the United States, even though they arrived relatively recently. Originating in Japan and China, they actually emerged in the US in the mid to late 1990s, and have been on the rise here ever since. There are over fifteen species of stink bugs, the most common in the US being the brown marbled stink bug. In the spring, they lay 20 to 100 large white or yellow to red eggs on the undersides of leaves.

Once hatched, stink bug larvae grow through the summer (40 to 60 days), feeding on produce and plants. They are a pest to farmers, causing tremendous damage to cash crops in some circumstances. They are polyphagous, which means that they feed on many crops, including fruit trees, nuts, vegetables, and others.

According to the Annual Entomology Review, published in 2010, stink bugs caused 37 million losses to fruit tree growers in the mid-Atlantic region. They can cause stunted growth, raggedness, and even kill small plants and young trees. On fruits, their feeding often creates an odd indentation. Given the damaging potential that an infestation represents, these pests should be treated as soon as possible. Follow below for some helpful ideas on how you can prevent these common pests.

1. Maintain Your Yard – Keep your yard and the area around your home in good shape. Trim weeds and maintain brush to avoid creating an ideal habitat for these pests.
2. Secure your home – Spend some time sealing your home and eliminating the possible ways that pests and critters can enter. Use high quality window screens, weather stripping and silicone/caulk to secure your home and protect it from outside pests. This can be particularly beneficial and important for older, drafty homes.
3. Limit access to ripe fruit – Stink bugs are attracted to ripe fruit like bananas, so if you’re trying to reduce the chance of an infestation, it’s a good idea to limit the amount of ripe fruit you have in your kitchen.
4. Contact a Pest Control Expert – Killing bed bugs on your own is never a good idea, due to the foul odor they release.

If you are experiencing any type of insect infestation or are practicing a rigorous prevention effort, it is recommended that you consult with a licensed and experienced pest control company. While stink bugs are not known to cause physical harm to humans, they can certainly pose a very real threat to area plants and crops. A proven pest control strategy can eliminate these pests and many others from your property and keep them away indefinitely.