Stink Bug Facts & Information
Protect your home or business from stink bugs by learning techniques for identification and control.
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.
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
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Mouth - piercing sucking mouthparts
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Antennae - straight antennae with light brown bands
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Shape - characteristic shield shape.
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Length - 12 to 17 mm long
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Color - mottled brown color
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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
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Fruits
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Vegetables
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Apples
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Peaches
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Blackberries
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Tomatoes
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Corn
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Soybeans
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Lima beans
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Green peppers
Read more about what stink bugs eat.
Habitat
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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.
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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
Stink Bugs and Pets (Cats & Dogs)
What Does a Stink Bug Look Like?