Stink Bug Invasion

The Asian Beetle! (Looks similar to a lady bug) Or as we call them, the Stink Bug! If you’ve ever been bitten by one and tried to take your revenge by smashing it you your fingers, you’ll know EXACTLY what I’m talking about. Apparently, someone in the agricultural field thought it would be a great idea to import them from Asian in order to eat all the aphids that caused damage to most foliage crops. That ‘relocation’ apparently failed, but no one thought to tell the beetle that!

About a month ago, we had a HUGE population invading our house. I almost blogged about the bugs then, but we got busy with a lot of traveling, and it never happened. This week however, they’ve returned with a vengeance! So, here you go. The ‘low down’ on the Asian Beetle Saga!

Now, the research I’ve done states they don’t breed indoors like some other pests. You could sure fool me, as I’ve been sucking up literally hundreds at a time. Both Border Collies go totally nuts when I get the vacuum hose out. I’m sure it has NOTHING to do with the fact that I tease them with it by sucking their ‘butts’ if they turn their backs on me. I tried that with Mad, the PWD last night, she just rolled her eyes and left the room.
Our vacuum hose now as an orangish film coating it. Rather nasty!!

On health tidbit to make note of here. Do NOT rub your eyes after you’ve smashed an Asian Beetle. Apparently you could have an allergic reaction. I know I think of rubbing my eye after I touch them all the time. So, a word of warning!

I was brushing my teeth last night and felt something small and hard come loose. I thought I’d lost a filling! I bit down on it just a bit and it smashed. Yep, STINK BUG!! Luckily my CREST toothpaste could overpower the taste of the nasty little bug!

How do you prevent them from invading your house? Seal cracks and openings. Hum, our house was built in 1890, I’m thinking that is next to impossible! Larger holes can be filled with cement, hey, it’s what they have on this web site!

Bill found a Glad product that’s for flies. Remember those round cylinders that pull out to a long strip? If you ever hang them in the barns or outside you’re always getting caught in them? Well, they now make some rectangles that adhere to your windows. They work pretty darn well if it’s warm enough for the sticky stuff to be sticky. Once they are full you just peel them back off. We used a 4 pack, but they filled so fast they didn’t even make a dent in our bug population, so we’re back to vacuuming.

If you have any other solutions I’d love to hear them!!!