Stink bugs invading Lancaster County

Stink bugs are set to hit Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in record numbers this winter.

Even though the bugs are small, about the size of a pumpkin seed, they are highly malodorous when squashed.

The smelly little bugs, officially called Halyomorpha halys, first hit the mainland in America in 1996 and were an import from East Asia. They found their way to New Jersey a few years later and proved to be a real menace.

Even though the stink bugs don’t bite humans. they do attack plants and vegetation at an alarming rate. Elaine Fogerty of the Passaic County agricultural team said about the insects: “They are attracted to light, and sometimes they get caught between the inside of the walls. My best suggestion is to caulk any open spots so they can’t get in there.”

Stink bugs might not be threatening in terms of bites but they pack a mighty punch. When threatened or crushed they emit a pungent odor from a gland underneath their body which causes irritation to the nose and eyes.

People who are sensitive and who suffer from allergies may even need to seek medical assistance if exposed to the bug’s spray. It also isn’t so easy to get rid of the bugs as they don’t react to fumigation spraying.

It is worth noting that the bugs are particularly active in the winter so as the cold weather draws in there is a higher chance of infestations.