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Stink Bugs

Sweetbay magnolia — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 18:58:41 GMT

Are you seeing lots of them now? What do you do?

Re: Stink Bugs

glmama — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 21:27:21 GMT

Hi!

We are in the NE and we typically start seeing them mid-September through the end of October. Knock wood, we have never had an infestation, but I would say that at the height of our Stink Bug time I can see 2-4 per day.

Others we know that live not far from us, around some different tree species and such, have gotten infestations where they've had to call an exterminator. I simply catch the little stinkers (or make my DH do it) and flush them or put them outside.

Re: Stink Bugs

BlingQueen022 — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 21:36:44 GMT

They are all over here. I couldn't even go out today when I had plans because of them. Must have killed dozens today. They're driving me nuts!!

Re: Stink Bugs

Krimpette — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 21:45:53 GMT

I'm in the metro DC area and (thankfully!) haven't seen any yet this year. Probably hasn't gotten cold enough for them to want to come inside. Luckily, I'm not usually plagued with any sort of an infestation. Just an occasional couple here and there from time to time.

Re: Stink Bugs

Marlyn1 — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 21:51:49 GMT

As I sit here typing this I'm also looking at one crawling on my screen, outside. Last year I saw very few. This year I've seen more, but nothing I would call an infestation. Knock on wood! Oops there's another one!!

Re: Stink Bugs

BlingQueen022 — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 22:47:32 GMT

On 9/27/2014 Krimpette said:
I'm in the metro DC area and (thankfully!) haven't seen any yet this year. Probably hasn't gotten cold enough for them to want to come inside. Luckily, I'm not usually plagued with any sort of an infestation. Just an occasional couple here and there from time to time.

I'm in the DC area also and they're all over the place here. It's horrible!!

Re: Stink Bugs

Buck-i-Nana — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 23:25:33 GMT

I've been seeing at least 5 or 6 a day crawling on my screens. They torment my kitties! They've been seriously bad for years around my daughter's house, though luckily not many get inside. It's really crazy though to try and get in and out of the house without letting any of the suckers inside!

Re: Stink Bugs

151949 — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 23:48:16 GMT

We are leaving for Florida in a few days - thank goodness we don't have them there. In the last 2 days I have seen about 4 of them - always glad to get away from them! The first year we camped here there were tons of them - it was horrid. When we got home they were in our luggage and I even found one in a USB port of the computer. Last year we moved to a different section of the campground and had way less of them.

Re: Stink Bugs

jlkz — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 23:58:49 GMT

Yesterday I deposited one and flushed it away. We've had a two- step outside spraying service for the last four years ( outside Phila. ) and each year the number decreases. I calendar how many I float away. I doubt that the house will ever be totally free of them.

Re: Stink Bugs

Sweetbay magnolia — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 16:30:34 GMT

I was curious to know. I had my French doors open yesterday and a congregation formed in the sitting room. They met their maker, the vacuum. When I can, I shoo them back out but this would have been like herding cats. I was not displeased to see several caught up in a spider's web on the porch.

Re: Stink Bugs

curlywhitedog — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 16:44:18 GMT

On 9/28/2014 Sweetbay magnolia said:
I was curious to know. I had my French doors open yesterday and a congregation formed in the sitting room. They met their maker, the vacuum. When I can, I shoo them back out but this would have been like herding cats. I was not displeased to see several caught up in a spider's web on the porch.

Sweetbay magnolia:

You may already know this but just in case you don't, two things. One, they can live in your vacuum cleaner for months and months and months. We have a canister vac that we only use for our cars so it gets very infrequent use. Because that vacuum has a nozzle we also use it to $ uck up those stink bugs who, we found out, can crawl right back out through the nozzle so we had to fit a cork in the nozzle to prevent the bugs from sneaking back out. A few months after using it for our stink bugs my husband took it out to the garage to get rid of the bag and more than just a few of them came flying out through the hole in the bag so be careful about that too, they live for freaking ever.

Second, the smell of dead/dying/decaying stink bugs attracts their still very much alive brothers and sisters so if you're not going to throw the bag away after each use (don't know anyone who does) then make sure you keep that nozzle plugged and the vacuum out of the living areas.

We haven't seen any so far this year but it's early, last year we saw some but the year before, OMG, the infestation was awful. One day I noticed one crawling on the inside of our fireplace doors and upon closer examination noticed it wasn't the only one in there so with great aplomb and a whole lot of happy, I turned on the gas and sent them all out in a blaze of glory and that was pretty much the end of the infestation.

Those of you who don't have them yet, get ready, they're on the march down the east coast and heading west as well. Forewarned is forearmed.

Maria

Re: Stink Bugs

Jessa9 — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 16:57:33 GMT

They are coming out in full force now. I use dawn mixed with water to kill them.

Re: Stink Bugs

lulu2 — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 16:59:57 GMT

We see them more in the spring and early fall.

I've told this story before. One night while I was sleeping, apparently with my mouth open, one flew into my mouth. I bit down on it.

Re: Stink Bugs

Sweetbay magnolia — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 17:02:18 GMT

Good gracious, (if I may call you), Maria! I didn't know! That is information worth sharing.

They've been a significant problem for the nursery trade (I've seen hollies with leaves that are completely stippled from the underside), and the poor fruit growers are having a devil of a time.

Your fireplace story is grand.

(just read lulu's post - remind me to do a "sweep" of the sleeping quarters before we retire!)

Re: Stink Bugs

FranandZoe — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 17:06:22 GMT

There are dozens on my deck sliding screen door every day. I spray them with alcohol and flick them off the screen. The alcohol kills them eventually as I see dead ones all over the deck. I'll try the Dawn and water too. The ones that do get in the house I flush 'em. I don't have as many as some people.

Re: Stink Bugs

dionline — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 17:09:33 GMT

Maria is correct - do NOT squash them. You will get hoards of them in no time at all!! When we lived in South Jersey/Philly area, it was like I came home to an Alfred Hitchcock movie every single day. Bugs are my phobia!!!! Not knowing any better, I'd grab the fly swatter and go to town smacking at least 20-40 in the living room alone!! It never got better since their buddies would come right in behind them! We thought our doors windows were closed tight but those hard little shield-like shells don't impede their progress indoors at all!!

Luckily their season ended and we learned for the next season to pick them up with a piece of tissue (thankfully they're dumb as rocks and don't try to fly away when you pick them up) and simply flush 'em. Gone, no smell and none following them.

Thank GOD they aren't down here!!!!

~Diane

Re: Stink Bugs

bonnielu — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 17:35:18 GMT

Found two flying around. Hubby got them. They come in when it starts to get cold. I have seen less and less of them. But I am told, when our local farmers cut their fields the bugs find new homes.

I never use a vacuum on them either dead of alive. They smell horribly.

I live 65 miles NW from DC. I will send some down.

Re: Stink Bugs

curlywhitedog — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 17:54:17 GMT

I know there are some who hesitate to kill any living creature and far be it from me to say you have to but with stink bugs, well...you have to. They don't have any natural enemies so for every one you treat with kindness and release back outside you are making the infestation that much worse. No individual blame to anyone who captures and releases, but when you have a pest with no natural enemies, you have to self eradicate whenever you can.

Oh, and if you're going to put them down the toilet, you must flush, they crawl out, doncha know.

Maria

Re: Stink Bugs

curlywhitedog — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 17:56:26 GMT

On 9/28/2014 JESSA said:
They are coming out in full force now. I use dawn mixed with water to kill them.

Yes, I heard that as well. Thanks for the reminder.

Maria

Re: Stink Bugs

curlywhitedog — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 18:46:31 GMT

On 9/28/2014 Sweetbay magnolia said:
Good gracious, (if I may call you), Maria! I didn't know! That is information worth sharing.

They've been a significant problem for the nursery trade (I've seen hollies with leaves that are completely stippled from the underside), and the poor fruit growers are having a devil of a time.

Your fireplace story is grand.

(just read lulu's post - remind me to do a "sweep" of the sleeping quarters before we retire!)

I'm kinda partial to that fireplace story myself. Watching the flames, hearing the screams (well, ok, the screams could have been coming from my side of the FP but why split hairs on such a happy occasion).

Maria