OHIO — Stink bugs will soon be looking for their winter hiding spot and it might be your home.
Some of the insects are native to Ohio, but the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is an invasive species that was first identified in 2001. As of 2020, they’ve been confirmed across the Buckeye State.
“It has spread very rapidly across the United States,” said David Shetlar, professor emeritus of Urban Landscape Entomology at The Ohio State University. “It’s an important pest not only in field crops but in fruits and veggies. What its real problem is with us is it’s a nuisance pest.”
Shetlar said the bugs hiding usually seek shelter under boulders but can mistake our homes for their natural habitat.
There are some things to do to prevent them from getting in, especially because they usually find their way around an insecticide sprayed outside.
“Since these fly to the house and land on the wall and walk up, they don’t come into contact with these pesticides,” said Shetlar.
He suggests replacing the nylon screens found in outside soffit vents with aluminum screens. He also said to check for gaps under doors and in older, sliding windows.
When it comes to getting rid of them, there are two different ways.
“You just cut off a foot of a nylon stocking, put that into the hose of the vacuum with a rubber band to hold it tight and you can suck them up and toss them outside again.
He confirms you can also just use the tissue trick.
“You can do the old tried and true, and that’s getting a tissue, pick them up, throw them in the toilet and flush them,” said Shetlar.
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs have white and black speckled antennae.
