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Stink Bug Facts & Information

Protect your home or business from stink bugs by learning techniques for identification and control.

Stink bug illustration
Family Pentatomidae

Treatment

How do I get rid of stink bugs?

What Orkin Does

Orkin Pros are trained to help manage stink bugs and other pests. Since every yard or home is different, the Orkin Pro will design a unique stinkbug treatment program for your situation.

For homes and businesses, stink bug treatments generally focus on two species that are very bothersome: the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) and the kudzu bug. Both of these insects create troubles for home and business owners when the pests fly to structures looking for overwintering sites. Therefore, pest management professionals focus on treatment methods that will control the bugs or help prevent them from getting inside.

Exterior Treatments

In most situations, the best treatment for stink bugs is preventing them from getting inside to their overwintering sites. Your Orkin Pro will probably recommend sealing all cracks that are more than 1/8 inch wide, screening or repairing existing screens over roof vents, gable vents, windows and doors and installing door sweeps.

Chemical products can be applied around possible stink bug entry points. Based on your inspection, initial application and reapplications of products may be required to treat other stink bugs that fly to the property and attempt to get inside.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Behavior, Diet & Habits

Understanding Stink Bugs

General Information

This article focuses on the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys).

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) is native to Asia. It has been an agricultural pest in China, Japan and Korea.

It was first collected in the United States in 1998. It is now found in many parts of the country from Maine to Mississippi and from Oregon to Florida.

Appearance

  • Mouth - piercing sucking mouthparts

  • Antennae - straight antennae with light brown bands

  • Shape - characteristic shield shape.

  • Length - 12 to 17 mm long

  • Color - mottled brown color

  • Wings - dark bands on the front wings

The immature bug, called a nymph, is yellow and red with red eyes. As it grows, the yellow lightens to off-white. Read more about what a stink bug looks like.

Diet

  • Fruits

  • Vegetables

  • Apples

  • Peaches

  • Blackberries

  • Tomatoes

  • Corn

  • Soybeans

  • Lima beans

  • Green peppers

Read more about what stink bugs eat.

Habitat

  • Inside homes - Besides being an agricultural pest, the brown marmorated stink bug is often a pest in homes. In late summer, the adult bugs gather on homes. The bugs are seeking sheltered places to spend the winter.

  • In walls - They spend the winter hiding inside the walls or in the attic or crawl space. When spring comes, the stink bugs become active. As they begin to move around, some of them emerge into the living space.

Reproduction

Females typically lay 20 to 30 eggs which she secures on the underside of the host plant in the summer. Eggs hatch four to five days later and the nymphs will begin to feed. They undergo a series of molts until they become adults by fall. More info on the stink bug life cycle

More Information

Are Stink Bugs Poisonous?

Do Stink Bugs Bite?

Do Stink Bugs Fly?

Do Stink Bugs Stink?

How Long Do Stink Bugs Live?

How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs

Stink Bug Eggs

Stink Bug Larvae

Stink Bug Life Cycle

Stink Bug Season

Stink Bug Traps

Stink Bugs and Cedar Spray

Stink Bugs and Citrus

Stink Bugs and Pets (Cats & Dogs)

Stink Bugs in the Garden

Stink Bugs in the Winter

Stink Bugs vs. Kissing Bugs

Types of Stink Bugs

What Are Stink Bugs?

What Causes Stink Bugs?

What Do Stink Bugs Eat?

What Does a Stink Bug Look Like?

What Eats Stink Bugs?

Where Do Stink Bugs Come From?

Where Do Stink Bugs Live?

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