Pictured is a brown mamorated stink bug.
As the days have grown shorter and the temperatures drop, have you noticed stink bugs flocking to your house?
Brown mamorated stink bugs are the most common stink bug in the Pacific Northwest. These insects are native to Asia, but were first discovered in Portland in 2004, according to Aspen Pest Control owner Joseph Hampton. He said they’ve gradually made their way up the Interstate 5 corridor and can be found throughout most of Clark County.
Hampton said the bugs live mostly in trees during the spring and summer, but seek a warm environment for their dominant winter state.
“They’re looking to get out of the cold, that’s why they migrate toward our homes,” he said.
While the weather transitions from warm to cold — such as now in October — and there are regularly cool, yet sunny days, the stink bugs oftentimes cover entire windows or sides of homes. Hampton said homeowners should look for this to occur on the south side of their house.
“That’s where they’ll congest, that’s where the sun is usually going to hit the house, sometimes the west side too,” he said.
Outside of calling a pest control service, Hampton said there’s not a lot homeowners can do about the issue as the bugs will keep coming back to a warm area. He said caulking windows and other cracks around the house will go a long way though in terms of preventing the bugs from getting inside — which is ultimately what they want.
Another problem with these brown mamorated stink bugs is that mother nature has yet to develop a natural predator for them.
“There’s nothing to control numbers right now,” Hampton said.
Hampton said the best way to capture a brown mamorated stink bug is to pick it up with a tissue and flush it down the toilet. Another solution is vacuuming them up, however, he said to make sure you always toss them outside afterward as their odor is comparable to citronella. Squashing them can also make the stench worse.
According to Hampton, most stink bugs will get all nestled down in or around your home during November. He said even with the best equipment or use of pest control before then, homeowners won’t be able to get rid of the bugs completely, but it will make a big difference.
