What
is up with all the stink bugs? I think
it may be connected to the
political elections this year,
but that is just a personal observation.
I have been finding them everywhere; on window screens, in drawers, in
my knitting, living and dead ones on every window ledge and even one in my
shower.
 |
| Stink Bug |
So why so many this year? It may have to do with the early spring we
had this year, allowing for two generations of stinks bugs to grow this season. Expect more of the same next year. Each female carries 10 egg sacs with up to 28
eggs in each sac.
 |
| Wheel Bug |
But help may be on the
way in the form of the wheel bug, a type of assassin beetle, which if possible,
is uglier that the stink bug. There is
also a tiny Asian wasp, which controls the stink bug in China. I’m sure I’ll be writing about those future
infestations one day…the cycle just continues.
 |
| Asian Wasp |
The best way to handle these bugs is to
seal your home’s cracks and openings, repair screens and hope for a cold
winter. If you vacuum these bugs in your
house, change your bag that day because stink bugs live up to their name. I have heard a solution of water and rubbing
alcohol in a spray bottle is one way to kill them and spraying your screens
with a mix of water and dawn detergent is suppose to repel them.
Stink bugs may be with us for a few
years. Elections have consequences and
so do mild winter.
Yes, think this one is starting off to be a mild winter (or late fall). Stink bugs also give off pheromones to attract other stink bugs. I worry abut introducing other new controls for an imported insect. Yes think we will be reading about those in the future.
ReplyDeletefeh
ReplyDeleteYuck! Nasty little guys! I hear you on the mild winter. I am hoping for a cold winter here in Chicago but time will tell.
ReplyDelete