There are hundreds of kinds of stink bugs in the United States, but the one that takes over houses is an invasive species: the brown marmorated stink bug.
How to identify it
It gets its name from the marbling of browns and grays on its body, and the brown and gray banding on its antennas and legs.
Where it came from
The brown marmorated stink bug was first reported in Allentown, Pennsylvania in the late 1990s. It has since spread across the United States, especially the East Coast, where it does a lot of damage to fruit and vegetable crops.
The three things stink bugs need
- A food source. Crops like soybeans and corn.
- A place to lay eggs. They like the underside of leaves on hardwood trees such as maple, oak, or black walnut.
- A place to overwinter. This is where the trouble starts for homeowners. Not many people want to share their house with thousands of stink bugs.
How they get in
At the peak of the season they gather on trees and fly to nearby houses. They get inside through cracks as small as 3 mm, then head for the bright, south-facing side of the house, where they end up on windows and light fixtures.
Their love of light is also how we catch them. Build the trap here, or read our complete plan to get rid of stink bugs.