Stink bug invasion in Upstate NY!

[WayneG]

Anyone else getting these pests, more than usual




I had never seen these things before, until the last 3 years.
They get in the house & RV about this time of year and we keep finding them everywhere in the house all the way until spring.
In the RV we usually just find dead ones but still get the occasional survivor in the spring.
Today I killed over 100 of them clinging to the screens on the French doors, storm windows, and brick siding. I found a quick method to kill them without letting off their stink.
I use a MAP gas torch like this:






I give them a quick blast in the face. They fall to the ground and dont get back up.

If you are fast, and use a good angle, you can even blast them on a fiberglass window screen without damaging the screen.

I dont think they have any local predators. One of the ones I blasted landed in a spider web. The spider came out to look, and then left!


Here is a link to info on the invaders: http://blogs.cornell.edu/nysipm/tag/stink-bugs/

[DoubleR]

Dryer sheets are suppose to repel then. Rubbing dryer sheets around windows, doors, and gaskets if you have slides are suppose to do the trick also. I have read this in several places and just recently saw it on YouTube.

[DremStremer]

My home has been invaded with these bugs the last couple of days. This past Sunday was the worst. There were swarms of them on the sunny side of the house covering my windows looking for a way in. Unfortunately I hadn't taken out my window AC unit yet and that allowed lots of bugs to get in the house. After I pulled the unit out, I vacuumed up hundreds of bugs that were hiding under and around the AC unit. I wish I had thought about using a blow torch because vacuuming makes them release their stink....yuck! I closed up every window in the house after that in spite of the unusually hot weather we are having. They are insidious creatures that hide everywhere in your house.

[DreamStreamr]

2 years ago our Airstream was besieged by these same stinky critters. Best tip we tried is to put soapy water in a shallow pan or dish. I use a small cottage cheese container or shallow Tupperware. Remove lid, hold under stink bug and brush the bug to the container. They land on the water and can’t get off the surface. Close the lid and reuse a couple of days. Throw out and replace soapy water every couple of days. This avoids handling or squishing the smelly rascals.

Last year they sorta didn’t show up. This year they’re back but not as bad, so far, as 2 yrs ago. We’re experimenting with not keeping opened a fantastic fan unless it’s spinning continuously, to prevent the critters landing and crawling into the crevices, eventually finding their way in. Seems to be working. Dozens on the patio, awning, but only one inside the trailer so far. There’ll be more, I’m sure, but we seem better off so far.

[Lily&Me]

There’s at least one other thread on these insidiously invasive critters here.

We have had them winter over in the recesss of the Interstate many times, only to crawl out on the January trip south.

They really like the AC vents, so be sure to take a look at those and wash them each spring, lest your cooled air smell like stink bugs.

Maggie

[WayneG]

The sun is not hitting our west wall right now and the numbers are reduced, but there is more hot sunny weather for tomorrow.
I may try that dryer sheet ploy tomorrow morning before they start their pilgrimage.
I also need to pull our window AC units, but we are running them now because it is 80 and humid.
It is not that they are destructive, and they do give the cat some amusement, but they are just disgusting intruders, especially when you crush one. The smell is indescribable, but is a perfect human repellent!