Stink Bug Survey

[northcreek2624]

Just wondering if these critters are a wide ranging or local nuisance.Never had them until a few years ago here in Western New York,I'm thinking this is another non-native species that has moved up from the south,but that's just a guess.
They've added another procedure to my wood buning which is banging the pieces together before the wood is brought into the house to dislodge them from there winter hiding places.
Once in the house they come to life and roam around and yes they can fly.If you step,sit or disturb them in any way they emit a sickly sweet odor similar to a banana.
Otherwise they are harmless and I don't know where they fit into the ecosystem since the birds I've seen tend to avoid them as do my cat and dog,NOW!
Anyone out there know more about the stink bug explosion?

It's always something.........Mike

 

[chim]

No, but we really have a plague of box elder bugs. They covered the (warm) wall of the house in the Fall. Now they keep turning up inside. I can't tell where they're coming from, and wish there was a way to get rid of them without doing anything too harsh in the space we need to live within..............chim

 

[RobertN]

My book, "Insect, Disease, and Weed Guide" from Rodale Books lists the "Stink Bug", Pentatomide. It looks a bit different, but the books says there "Are many species throughout North America". The book says to knock them into soapy water(When inspecting your garden). Check undersides of leaves for egg clusters and destroy. Control weeds. After fall harvest, promptly shred and compost or till in crop residues.

Its predator are parasitic wasps and tachinid flies. You can also spray canola oil.

No mention is made of other hiding places or control(the book is aimed directly at gardens)

In the garden eco-system, they suck sap from stems of most garden plants, and can puncture the skin of fruit, leaving it pitted looking. Some stink bugs are predatory and are sold commercially for control of catapillars and beetle larvae.

 

[Buck]

northcreek262,

I now live five miles from Lake Ontario. We do not have stink bugs.

Three years ago we lived 0.5 miles from the Lake, and we had stink bugs every year since about 1990.

We were told that the sting bug is a native of California and that they like places near water.

Buck

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Last year or two they became pretty common at our place near Pittsburgh, PA...


Bill

 

[Thomas]

Just this last fall our cat batted one from the sliding glass door,than try to taste the insect and let out a chilling meow,and to this day the cat stay away from that insect..I believe the insect bit her.

 

[Mark_in_NH]

I was just told the other night that those were Stink Bugs.
We have seen a lot of them in the Moultonborough NH area.
Must be a new invasion of tourists. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

If they are originally frrom California, maybe we should box them up and ship them back. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

We do have them here and have for awhile. Ours smell a little like Pine when crushed.

S

 

[RobertN]

Ha Ha Ha /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif It's funny, the Stink Bug wants to get out of Callyforny, but everyone else wants to get in!

As noted in my earlier post, the book I have actually shows a range for the stink bug of North America. They didn't give an origin point, like they do for some bugs that came from other continents through shipping or transport.

 

[Gomez]

Yep, we got them too, in SE PA. I don't remember seeing them until about 5 or 6 years ago. Of course, that's when I moved into our current
house which is about 8 miles from the house I grew up in. The odor they emit when crushed reminds me of fresh cut grass.