Photo credit: B. Christine

Every ​​fall, a little pest called the brown marmorated stink bug returns to annoy and destroy. This invasive species from the far east has no local predators to control its numbers and does a great deal of damage to fruits, vegetables, and other plants. As the weather cools down, they also like to sneak into homes to stay warm, and will remain there throughout the winter unless dealt with. As the name suggests, these bugs’ defense mechanism is the release of a foul-smelling chemical, and dealing with them can be unpleasant.

Purdue Extension Entomologist Rick Foster answers several questions about stink bugs and what to do about them in a Q&A article for The Star Press. Check out “Stink bug Q&A with Purdue expert” and learn some more about these pesky invaders.

Resources:
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug In Homes​ – Purdue Extension Entomology
Stink bug Q&A with Purdue expert – The Star Press
Brown Stink Bug – Purdue University Field Crops IPM
Brown marmorated stink bug reported in Indiana for first time – Purdue University News Service
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug – Indiana Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program

Purdue Extension Entomology