What Are Stink Bugs & Where Do They Come From?

Stink bugs emit a bad smell when squashed.

Stink bugs are often found crawling along branches, patio furniture or even in homes. They can come in on anything carried into the house or fly in on their own. Although annoying around the house, they are not dangerous to humans. However, they do have a bad odor when killed. As the weather grows cooler in the fall, stink bugs look for ways to get into homes and can creep in under baseboards or through cracks around doors or windows.

Small, Brown and Smelly

Stink bugs, or Halyomorpha Halys Stal, are small brown bugs about 17mm long (less than one inch). They have scent glands on the dorsal surface of the abdomen and under the thorax. If stepped on or killed they emit a strong odor. If vacuumed up, they can leave the odor in the vacuum.

Originated from Eastern Asia

First found in 1996 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the stink bug is believed to have come into the USA with imports from China. They slipped into packing material and shipping containers and simply hitched a ride into the USA. Since they are so small, they were probably not noticed by either those who packed the materials for shipping or those who received them. From there, they have reproduced and are now found up and down the east coast and as far west as Oregon.

Damage to Crops

Stink bugs can damage crops such as cotton, soybeans, fruits and vegetables. In Georgia alone there have been millions of dollars worth of damage to cotton crops from stink bugs. The overall threat to all crops in America has not yet been realized as these bugs continue to spread and infest farms.

Solving the Stink Bug Problem

Stink bugs are just a nuisance to homeowners. The real problem will come when we see more of what kind of impact they will have on crops. Some scientists are working on a way to lure stink bugs into traps using their own pheromones. Others are looking into the migration of the stink bugs so they can spray across their path in order to block the bug from getting into farm fields.

References

• United States Department of Agriculture: Stink Bugs
• Penn State Department of Agricultural Sciences: Stink Bugs