Stink Bugs
HALYOMORPHA HALYS
Color: Mottled grayish-brown
Shape: Triangular or shield
Size: 3/4 inch long
Region: Found in the eastern half of the U.S., as well as California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas
OVERVIEW
Brown marmorated stink bugs are an invasive species from Asia that arrived in Pennsylvania in 1996 and can now be found from South Carolina to New Hampshire and west to Indiana, as well as in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
HABITS
Adult stink bugs enter homes and other structures in the late fall to seek shelter from the winter weather. They reemerge from overwintering sites in early spring and try to exit, but sometimes enter living spaces instead. Like other overwintering insects, they often congregate en masse on the sides of buildings.
THREATS
Stink bugs have the potential to spread throughout the country, which could be harmful to the agricultural industry, as they destroy crops. Although these smelly pests do not pose serious property or safety threats to homeowners, their tendency to invade homes in high numbers can be a nuisance.
