Check your windows and doors as the stink bugs are trying to get out of the cold and into your home.
Cookeville Exterminator Miguel Ornelas said stink bugs are prominent most in the Spring and Fall, when the weather patterns shift. Ornelas said the bugs look for shelter as temperatures drop, burrowing their way into homes through unsealed windows.
“I have talked many a people off a cliff when they wake up and there is lady bugs everywhere in their house or stink bugs in every single room,” Ornelas said. “It really creates a lot of emotional distress for those of us who think that bugs are icky.”
Ornelas said the bugs are nuisance pests, as they do not harm people or the host home. Ornelas said stink bugs create a variety of stressors, such as an offensive odor. They can also gather in an overwhelming number.
“A lot of cats and things like that will chase stink bugs around,” Ornelas said. “When it comes to pets, cats are the biggest issue because cats smash them or move them around the house.”
Ornelas said stink bugs are an occasional invader, meaning they breed off of the property. Ornelas said they move in hordes, like Lady Asian beetles.
Ornelas said stink bugs can damage crops or produce. Ornelas said stink bugs enjoy tomatoes, okra, beans, peppers and corn. Ornelas said every insect or critter looks for food, moisture or harborege.
“When they come in hordes like that,” Ornelas said. “They will damage anything that they are able to munch on, for sure.”
Ornelas said stink bug infestations can be invasive, as the bugs look for cracks and crevasses to burrow into for the season. Ornelas said with stink bug infestations, oftentimes homeowners do not properly close and latch their windows. Ornelas said exterminators spray for bugs, but half of the battle is keeping the pests outside of the home.
Ornelas said homeowners can seal windows with caulk and be sure to properly latch windows to keep stink bugs out of the home.