The brown marmorated stink bug is an agricultural pest that can be found all across the United States, but its favorite feeding ground is in the mid-eastern states of Maryland and Virginia. Since these bugs originated from Asia, they have no natural predators here in the states. So, beyond pesticides, and flabbergasted humans, they are free to multiply at will. That is why they come in clouds of terror. Okay. Maybe not terror. But they're a real pain.
If you've ever had a stink bug infestation, you know why these bugs are hated. They're not dangerous and they don't bite. They just climb up walls in a very unnatural way, and congregate on windows sills in piles. They hide in curtains and crawl around on the front steps. It's nasty. The problem doesn't end there; they also stink--especially when you step on them. These brown-dotted bugs secrete a viscous fluid from their abdomen that smells like dirty feet. For anyone with a working sense of smell, this is not okay.
So, how do I get rid of them?
No matter how you do it, getting rid of stink bugs is a pain. And, even more of a pain when there are a ton of them to get rid of. But many homeowners don't realize that with a few easy steps, they can get those bugs to leave them alone.
The first step is to seal your home. Make sure all of your window and door screens are in good working order. Check around the windows and doors for cracks, and seal them. Use door sweeps for the bottom of doors, weather stripping for the sides, and caulking, if there are cracks in the wood framing.
Take a walk around your house and make sure you don't have any gaps. Check around pipes, electrical boxes, and air conditioning units. Don't worry about stink bugs getting in through the air conditioner itself, just around the edges.
Once your house is sealed, have a pest professional apply a treatment to your home. This will make those stink bugs want to be anywhere but on the side of your house. And, if they're not on the side of your house, they're not looking for a way to get in. That is how you beat stink bugs.