Stink Bugs in Your House? How and why they are there, what they are doing, and what you can do.

Alien Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs were first documented near Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1998. By 2012 they had spread to 40 of 50 states. They have caused millions of dollars in damage to agriculture crops especially "pit fruits" including peaches and plums. Stink Bugs are "true bugs" in the order Hemiptera and I describe their distinguishing features. Stink Bugs are compare to other true bugs such as bed bugs and assassin bugs. All bugs have a proboscis, a needle-like sucking mouth part, used to stab plants or prey. Stink bugs adults enter homes to find a warm place to over winter. Indoors they do not bite, eat or reproduce and when spring comes they emerge from hiding in cracks and crevices in an effort to get back outdoors. They do release a foul smelling order from glands on their abdomen when crushed or disturbed. Exudates can leaves annoying stains around windows or doors where they tend to congregate indoors. Spraying pesticides indoors has been shown to be infective. I suggest two different ways they can be removed by vacuuming with modifications. I also describe an effective homemade DIY stink bug "trap" that Virginia Tech University researches proved to be more effective than commercially sold stink bug traps.

Virginia Tech Stink Bug Trap:

[braddofner]

Hats off to you for making a stink bug video of almost 14 minutes incredibly interesting. You sir, are a natural story teller. Thanks for the info and entertainment 😀

[macaelatice-loma]

the thing that bothers me more then their funk is that they sound like tiny helicopters when they fly... a couple days ago i was almost asleep and one of those stink bugs flew right by my ear and i screamed bloody murder geez😬

[desertweasel]

I was yawning one time and a stink bug flew into my mouth with such speed that it basically exploded in my mouth. My entire skull stunk for 2 hours.

[trreb]

One thing you forgot to mention is that stink bugs, when flying around, can land on certain people and cause a sever E.B.E. This happened to me. Lucky for me I was in the bathroom on the "Throne" at the time one landed on my back. E.B.E. stands for Emergency Bowel Evacuation. Scared the crap right out of me.

[Bellthorian]

As a Pest Management specialist I will agree that exclusion is the first and best option. Also if you notice stink bugs gathering on the outside or on the inside of your house in specific areas wash those effected areas with warm water and dish soap. Stink bugs deposit pheromones that attract other stink bugs. By washing the areas you see them at it will neutralize any deposited pheromones. Pesticides are also not really necessary. a mixture of warm water and dish soap will kill them by blocking their spiracles, little holes in their exoskeleton that they breath through and it will suffocate them.

[ginaandrews]

This is my first video of yours that I’ve watched. I love how you really dive into what you are focusing on and help explain as much as you can where anyone can understand. You keep your audience engaged. I would have loved to have you as a teacher in high school or a professor in college.

[MAVERICK]

You are wonderful. I saw one of these on my ceiling and freaked out. I never kill anything either. I trapped it in a cup with a top and let it go outside. I am now deep cleaning my room and freaking out at the same time. Now that I know they don't bite or lay eggs I am better. Keep up the good work.

[CDBRAK]

I don't go out of my way to kill bugs. However, I converted a small shed into an office where I work all day. I get as many as 10-20 stink bugs on a bad day. I was releasing them outside, but I wasn't sure if they were just coming back in again. So, now I take them outside and kill them to be sure. I don't feel so bad now that I know they're an invasive species (I believe mine are the brown marmorated ones). Very informative video. Now I know why they like to sit on my plant but I never see chewed leaves.

[lulzmusic]

Idk why this video came up in my feed, but we’ve been having these bugs in our house for the first time this winter. This was very informative, and well presented.

[sarahcarter]

From my three year old: "Well we really have cracks so stink bugs come inside." We appreciate the video! The little one watched it and enjoyed it thoroughly as it's part of our homes reality at this point!

[MsNailgun]

Great informative video. Thank you so much. I used to be a pest control tech. I mainly treated for termites, ants, roaches and mice. I never treated a property for stinkbugs. My home has been invaded with the little buggers for the past several years. I wasn't sure how to combat them. Thanks to your video, I have a battle plan.

[orestes]

The roasting pan and desk lamp is a good idea but the problem is when it gets full of stink bugs it really reeks. I put several widemouth jars half full of soapy water (Jars of Death) around the house. When I see a monster I scoop it up and screw the lid on, so no smell. When I have a cornucopia of stink bug soup marinade I dump them outside or bury the soup. Also I live in a big old house so caulking all the windows isn’t the feasible option. I put some lavender essence and water in a sprayer and use it around windows and doors. It seems to work ok. But I have serious bug phobia so I welcome any and all help

[misstowerflower_rapture_watch]

I had them invade my home so researched them a couple of years ago. This video was suggested by YouTube. I said I won't learn anything new but I'll watch it anyway. However, I learned alot from it and the comments. Your personality is enjoyable as well. Thanks. 😊

[scottgroth]

We get a lot of them in Wisconsin. I have found spraying window screens periodically with isopropyl alcohol discourages them from coming in that way. Also, spraying alcohol on them kills them. If you see them crawling up wall, drapes, window, etc. and you have an empty plastic bottle, you can slide it up behind them causing them to fall in, and then cap the bottle. They don't seem to be able to grip on to things very well and easily fall.

[bf]

Lived in a cabin-house on a farm for a few years, these things were prolific. I kept boric acid in my shop-vac, that took care of most bugs, arachnids, and so forth.

[DougWilson-mp]

We have been finding stink bugs in our house for the last 3-mths, mostly around sunlit windows. The largest find was in my home office, I removed a framed picture only to find approx 20 stink bugs on the wall behind the frame. After looking behind each frame in the office, we ended up with approx 30-40 of those little buggers. They were each easy to remove by knocking them into a cup of water. I found your video and watched it from beginning to end. I have to admit, I did not let them go back are now deceased.

[RBnPA]

Thanks Frank for the informative video. I live 75-100 miles from Allentown and was surprised that Allentown was where they were first observed. I live in the heart of Pennsylvania apple growers! I know many apple growers and they definitely are a problem for them. I live surrounded by woods and as you mentioned September/October they increase in numbers looking for warmth. They can squeeze through small gaps and crevices. I recently noticed 2-3 a day in the house and this was abnormal for December. Finally discovered they were coming through my chimney/wood stove. I haven’t burned my wood stove for several years. When I opened it there was probably a thousand or more dead one inside. I hadn’t had this problem in past years but this year they definitely found a way in. To all views Franks advice to seal off any way on entry. Thanks again Frank, I’m a new subscriber

[JawTooth]

I like the stink bug trap. I need to make one. Last night I found one on me and it stunk up my hands since I was trying to take it outside. The smell is weird and hard to get out of your skin. Its smells like a lemon to me. They are really bad this year. I have rarely seen one until this year and now I see them a lot

[adamn]

Great video, we have these dang bugs in our house. They seem to come into our attic, then recessed lighting, and bathroom exhaust fans. I bought new lighting that doesn't allow them to come into the light housing, I put screens on the exhaust covers, and I sealed all our windows. I also caulked the outer windows as well. This video is excellent because I'll make the "water/light" traps in the attic to attract and kill these pests! Oh, I also weatherized/sealed our attic ladder entrance too, that was HUGE!!!! Thank you so much for all the great info in the video!!!

[usaaircraft]

i find they like to hide in clothes or curtains and if they are out and about and see you they head for the hills to hide back in a dark cloth or curtain.