Apparently we have two things in which to thank China for of late. #1 is all that lovely drywall they created that is making homes across America simply unlivable and for their gift of the brown stinkbug back in 1998. Well so far both their gifts really ‘stink’, literally.
The stink bug gets its name because as part of their defense they let out a very foul odor when threatened or even squashed. This bug looks very much like a shield (which is what it is often called) but it basically harmless around homes and does not bite. I say harmless but tell that to the poor folks in the northeast right now who are dealing with HUGE swarms of them. I recently serviced a customer who experienced these hordes first hand and they told me the number of stink bugs flying around was amazing. They attended a Bluegrass concert held outdoors and were simply overwhelmed with them. It’s been 3 weeks since they were up in Virginia and when I showed up for their regular service visit here in Florida and I was amazed at the amount of live stink bugs I still found in their motor home. Now stink bugs aren’t exactly resistant to insecticides and these folks treated their home on wheels several times but I found quite a few still hiding in the drapes, on shelves and even 4 rolls deep in the paper towels.
For homes infested you shouldn’t go to nuts with insecticidal sprays as this bug is quite good at flying and is attracted to light. This means you’re likely to find them in places where sprays will do little good or cause a mess. In extreme cases fogging may knock down large numbers but be careful. A vacuum is just as effective and then taking care to seal out the bug will be your best bet. Windows, doors, screens or any entry point is suspect so be sure to look the home over for anything you can do to keep them outside. Exterior treatments can work with special attention around areas of light that they will seek out at nightfall. (try switching to yellow light bulbs) The stink bug is not looking to infest your kitchen and most being plant eaters are no threat to your food, they are mainly looking for a place to spend the winter and begin anew in the spring.
Why can’t the Chinese give us something useful or meaningful like the French did with the Statue of Liberty? Instead they keep shipping over
cheap knock off’s that we apparently like because our lives are filled with goodies that all have the sticker “Made In China” on them. I think we should make a big ol box out of drywall and ship all their stinky bugs back with our own sticker. “Keep your bugs and your widgets-American Pride Still Exists!”
