Stink Bugs

Back to Pest Education

Stink bugs invade your home through cracks and crevices found in doors, floors, windows and walls. Stink bugs are harmless to humans, but they will emit a vile odor when threatened. They generally travel in search of light and warmth, feeding on a variety of plants and fruits.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Halyomorpha halys

Appearance
- Approximately 17 mm long
- Their underside is white or pale tan, sometimes with gray or black markings
- The legs are brown with faint white banding
- The stink glands are located on the underside of the thorax, between the first and second pair of legs
Diet
- An agricultural pest, the stink bug feeds on a wide variety of plants and fruits
Habits
- Stink bugs live throughout the world and can be found anywhere near vegetation
- They generally choose to live on fruit plants but are nocturnal and attracted to light and warmth, which sometimes draws them into homes
- In cold climates, the stink bug usually hibernates, while they can live all year long in warm areas
- The stink bug's thoracic segments are located on the sides of the bug and when frightened it releases a distinct odor from the glands
Reproduction
- Adults emerge in the spring of the year (late April to mid-May), mate and deposit eggs from May through August
- The eggs hatch into small black and red nymphs that go through five molts
Other Information
- The best prevention strategy against stink bugs is to ensure that all cracks around windows, doors, siding, utility pipes, behind chimneys, and underneath the wood fascia and other openings should be sealed with good quality silicone or silicone-latex caulk
- Damaged screens on doors and windows should be repaired or replaced