Why You Should Stop Stink Bugs

Having insects in your house is never a good time – especially when they’re the dreaded stink bugs. These insects don’t harm humans, nor can they destroy your structures… so what’s bad about them? These bugs may seem harmless, but they can certainly have a negative impact on the environment around them. Why should you try and stop stink bugs? And how can you keep them out of your house?

Invasive Species

Stink bugs are an invasive species that are present throughout most of the United States today. These insects are native to Asia and were introduced to the United States in the mid-1990s. It’s believed that they were hidden in a shipping container from another country, hitchhiking a ride to America. Since then, they have spread all over the United States.

One of the main reasons why these insects became a common pest is because they have very few natural predators – which makes controlling overpopulation hard. Since the discovery of this pest, research has shown how damaging stink bugs can be – and how important it is to get them under control.

Agriculture Damage

Adult stink bugs emerge in the spring to feed on plants – which is why they pose a big threat to agriculture. This insect feeds on numerous fruits, vegetables, leaves, and field crops. While feeding, they leave physical damage to the fruit, like pitting and scarring. This leads to unmarketable fresh crops that get thrown out instead of being sold. Stink bugs can even leave further damage to these fruits and make them unusable even as processed products. Since they can feed on a variety of different fruits, it can be hard to stop an infestation once it starts.  

Stink bugs use their sharp mouthparts to pierce and suck the juices out of whatever they might be feeding on - this could include corn, peaches, apples, soybeans, and more. They can spread diseases to the fruits as well as to the plant. Infecting a large portion of a cornfield or fruit orchids can cause major financial losses to farmers. With millions of dollars of damage to crops across the country, these small pests make a great impact on the agriculture industry.

These pests don’t just affect big farmers, either. Homeowners and gardeners have reported stink bugs feeding on their backyard vegetables, like tomatoes and peppers. Even if you don’t have a vegetable garden in your backyard, these pests aren’t something that you want to deal with… and believe us, you’ll probably come face to face with one of these stinky insects at some point or another.

Nuisance Pests

Even when you don’t have vegetables for stink bugs to feast on, there’s a likely chance that they’ll want to try and make their way into your home for the winter. Although these insects don’t cause structural damage, physical harm, or transmit diseases to humans, they do emit a pungent odor that most people find unpleasant.

Stink bugs look around for warm, hidden spots where they can lay their eggs over the colder months. Any small crack around the foundation of your home or building provides a perfect entryway for stink bugs to find a new hiding spot. They are also attracted to open spaces on the wall and often stay there until it gets warm again. Once inside your home, they will make their way throughout your house. In locations where they are established, they can enter structures by hundreds. Also known to seek refuge in cars, these pests can get into virtually any structure they want.

Control Stink Bugs

Keeping stink bugs away from agricultural crops has proven to be a difficult task. There are few organic pesticides that prevent these insects from feeding on the crops while keeping them free from harmful chemicals.

However, there are ways that you can control the stink bug population on your property and in your house. One of the best ways to keep these insects away from your house is ensuring that your home is properly sealed and that there aren’t any spaces in which they could make their way inside.

If you’re dealing with a current stink bug problem, our TERRO® Stink Bug Killer Aerosol Spray is a solution that can kill the insects on the spot (and lasts for up to 6 weeks) while also preventing an infestation. With its two-way nozzle, you can eliminate stink bugs in the smallest of places or cover a larger area! This product can be used indoors and outdoors.

close up stink bug

Stop These Invaders

Stink bugs pose no threat to humans, but they sure can do a lot of damage to the plants. Not to mention their unpleasant smell! Let us know how you keep stink bugs out of your house and away from your garden on our Facebook page! Keep pests out of your house with the latest products from TERRO® and exclusive deals when you sign up for our E-Newsletter!

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