Brown marmorated stink bugs were first discovered in Virginia in the early 2000s. Since then, they have become something of a nuisance to residents and crop owners of Richmond. Brown marmorated stink bugs are greyish-brown insects with shield-shaped bodies. They have six legs, antennae, and wings and can fly up to seventy miles in a day. Stink bugs are aptly named for the scent that they give off when threatened or squashed.

While some people say the smell is similar to cilantro, most will say a stink bug smells foul, like rotting meat or sulfur. Brown marmorated stink bugs do not bite or cause damage in your home. However, they are a nuisance to have around your home, if not just for the smell they exude.

What You Need To Know About Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs In & Around Your Richmond Home

While it’s good to know that brown marmorated stink bugs do not bite or spread disease, homeowners in Richmond should be aware of the damage that they do cause. In the fall months, brown marmorated stink bugs will migrate indoors, where they will quietly take up residence in your home and wait out the cold months until they can return outdoors.

The damage these stink bugs cause is when they return outdoors. Brown marmorated stink bugs will overwhelm your fruit trees, crops, and vegetable gardens. The stink bugs feed off the skin of many crops, often devastating an entire orchard or crop. This can be an expensive and devastating loss to local produce farmers.

How To Prevent Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs In Your Richmond Home

Brown marmorated stink bugs will be looking to gain access into your home any way they can as the cooler weather approaches. It’s a good idea to inspect your home for entry points for these nuisance bugs by:

Looking for cracks and openings around pipes and wires. Use caulking to seal off these areas.
Checking for rips and holes in screens. Replace worn screens immediately.
Capping off vents on the exterior of your home.
Installing weather stripping around doors and windows to ensure a tight seal.
Planting fruit trees and crops well away from your home. Brown marmorated stink bugs feed off fruits and vegetables, so the farther away your crops are from your home, the less likely they will migrate inside your house.
Calling Pestmaster® Services in Richmond for assistance removing a brown marmorated stink bug infestation in your home.

Pestmaster® Services: The Solution To Your Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Problem

While brown marmorated stink bugs can live quietly in your home during the winter months, you should ask yourself, do you want these insects taking up residency in your home? Brown marmorated stink bugs can be difficult to get rid of, mainly due to the smell they give off when threatened or killed. Simple steps like vacuuming the insects can cause their foul odor to be released, as can squashing them.

You don’t have to be a prisoner to these stinky critters in your home; you can call us at Pestmaster® Services in Richmond, Virginia. Using sustainable home pest control solutions that are safe for the environment, our pest professionals will take care of your brown marmorated stink bug problem today. We also offer commercial pest control for local businesses.