Stink bugs are common in most regions and are most commonly found near the garden, but they frequently find their way inside, especially when the temperature begins to drop. Their natural defense mechanism is releasing an unpleasant smell when they feel threatened. The smell lasts for a long time once it is released and it helps the bugs find their way back to their “safe place.” If you suspect you have hibernating stink bugs in your home, it is best to treat them as early as possible.

Stink bugs typically cause damage to vegetable and fruit trees and plants. In late spring and early summer, it begins its tirade in the garden and targets pears, cherries, green beans, apples, peaches, and raspberries. When the warm weather ends, it survives by heading inside of houses, where it causes even more damage. Stink bugs live for several years, as long as they can avoid the cold weather. They hibernate, usually in the warm crevices of houses, near doors, under shingles, or in attics and basements, if they are warm enough.

While the natural instinct when you see a bug is to stomp on it, this will release the odor into the room. So while you will squash and kill it, the bug will have one last laugh and the room in which it was killed will need several hours or days to air out. If you are dealing with just one stink bug, the best defense is to get a paper towel, pick it up as gently as possible, and flush it down the toilet.

Occasionally, regions may be faced with more stink bugs than they would normally see. Reasons for this include warmer winters allowing more stink bugs to survive, so instead of just having one brand new crop of offenders, there is a year