Stinkbug Population May be Ready to Explode

If you notice a foul smell in your house, then notice your dog looking a bit sheepish, don't blame the pet. Blame the stinkbugs making a seasonal comeback in New York and most other parts of the country.

AGProfessional.com warns that the East Coast could take the brunt of the stinkbug explosion.

And "the Hudson Valley Region, along with Metropolitan NY and Long Island, are the leading edge of the population expansion," according to the scientists at the Cornell Cooperative Extension.

The little bugs are only about the size of pumpkin seeds, but they cause a big stink when crushed. Thank Asia for that. 

The Brown Marmorated Stinkbug (Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an invasive species that made its way from Asia to North America and was first officially documented in Allentown, PA in 2001, according to Cornell's Hudson Valley Fruit Project.

Peekskill Patch blogger Matt Frye went to college in Allentown, and he remembered them well.

"It’s a beautiful fall day, and through my open windows I can appreciate the changing of seasons. Buzzzz…. clunk! But there it is again, a sound that brings frustration and anxiety. Hesitantly, I glance over from my typing machine and observe the small 5-sided body creeping along the screen. It pauses, orients, and starts moving again as it looks for an entry point around the window frame. And so begins another invasion by the brown marmorated stink bug!"

In addition to being annoying, stinkbugs can beat up crops. Sightings in New York have steadily increased since 2010, and stinkbugs ravaged orchards in 2012, Cornell reports.

Frye offered Patch readers some advice.

Here are just a few tips to keep overwintering pests out of your home.

1. Screen exterior vents that lead into the home
2. Seal pipe chases and openings around wires with expanding foam
3. Eliminate cracks, crevices, and openings around doors, window frames, fascia, etc. with caulk (silicone)
4. Replace or repair damaged screens or doors
5. Remove window air conditioning units that provide direct access to interior