What To Do About Stink Bugs In Your Home And Garden

Brown marmorated stink bugs may have a funny name, but no one who has to deal with them is laughing. “They can be a significant issue for commercial growers and home gardeners in regions where the stink bug population is high,” says Jim Walgenbach, PhD, professor and extension entomologist atNorth Carolina State University. “All life stages of stink bugs can cause damage to foliage and fruit.”They feed on all kinds of plants, both edible and ornamental, but their favorites include peaches, apples, pears, pecans, tomatoes, peppers and sweet corn.

 While there are a few native stink bugs in the U.S., the brown marmorated stink bug is the most worrisome because it’s an invasive species with no natural enemies. They were first detected in eastern Pennsylvania in the 1990s and are now well established in the Mid-Atlantic, Mid-South, and Appalachia. They’re less frequently found in states such as Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas.

 Adult stink bugs are easy to identify: They have distinctive shield-shaped or oval-ish bodies that are about ¾” long and wide with six legs, a “marmorated” or marbled pattern on the body, and lighter-colored bands on the antennae. They overwinter as adults, then emerge from their hiding places in April or May, laying eggs from late spring to mid-summer to create one to two new generations. When the eggs hatch, the yellow-red striped nymphs crawl around and feed on plants, too.

Here’s what else you need to know about stink bugs and how to manage them in and around your home:

As you may have guessed, they’ve earned their name! “When disturbed, glands in their abdomens emit a pungent odor to serve as a defensive compound,” says Walgenbach. It’s not toxic