Stink Bugs Are Back To Iowa In Numbers – Here’s How To Get Rid Of Them

These little stinkers gotta go.

Stink bugs are crawling their way back onto your windows and walls. This year, there's a new kind of invader, causing problems inside and out.

The very warm days are beginning to turn into cool nights and stink bugs will be looking for a warm space inside your home.

There's a New Kind of Stink Bug

This new home invader is called the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB). Not only will the BMSB invade your personal space, but it will also wreak havoc in your garden.

According to University of Illinois experts, the piercing mouthparts of the BMSB are capable of damaging a multitude of crops from apples to pears to soybeans and landscape ornamentals.

The BMSB body has the shield-shaped characteristic to stink bugs and it is as wide as it is long. The three most identifying characteristics are its black and white banding on the antennae, the alternating dark/light banding on the edge of the wings and the smooth shoulders.

Just like the stink bugs you currently know and hate, this new bug also stinks when threatened, so be careful before disposing of one of these little BMSBs.

Stink Bug Disposal:

• Use a vacuum to suck up adults or drop them in soapy water
• Take steps in early fall to caulk cracks and crevices around the house
• Prevent movement in from the outside by repairing windows and putting on door sweeps

Or, you can build this simple stink bug trap using just soap, water, and a lamp.

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