infestation!

jflail2

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/us/27stinkbug.html

I probably flush 30-40 of these little **** a day. Absolutely infuriating!

The sooner we can adopt a predator for these guys the better. Anyone else dealing with this?

I don't recall them really being an issue even a couple of years ago, so I guess their presence in central VA is growing. And my family in western NC doesn't have to deal with them at all....I'm jealous!

gdb

Just ordered a 1.5 acre rated, Flowtron bug zapper and some Bifenthrin (pro grade insecticide)from Amazon ! We're being over run by the little stinkers and I can't wait to hear them fry in my new zapper!!!!!:D

dkg999

We've always had those in the midwest! Not in mass quantities that I can remember.

gdb

The current plague is a new import from Asia within the last 3-4 years that landed in PA somewhere. They'll get out your way soon enough !:eek::mad::(

jflail2

Yes, and as the article states, there are currently NO natural predators for these little ****.

My cats won't even kill them. They'll stare at them for hours like a pointer dog or something, but won't touch them as they've already figured out the whole stink thing.

Honestly, I don't think there's anything we can do right now. I don't know of a pesticide that would target these guys, and there's not a bird that targets them specifically, so I'm not sure what to do except keep running my water bill up by flushing my toilet an extra 15-20 times a day.

BlueFox

gdb wrote: »

Just ordered a 1.5 acre rated, Flowtron bug zapper and some Bifenthrin (pro grade insecticide)from Amazon ! We're being over run by the little stinkers and I can't wait to hear them fry in my new zapper!!!!!:D

You are wasting your time and money, and annoying your neighbors with the ZAP sound.

gdb

Chickens and praying mantis will kill them, but not in sufficient numbers to make any difference.:( This stuff linked below is what's recommended for killing them.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003IMIPF4/ref=oss_product

BlueFox

jflail2 wrote: »

The sooner we can adopt a predator for these guys the better. Anyone else dealing with this?

My sister, who is near Fredrick MD, is absolutely going crazy with these ****. They must really be nasty since nothing will eat them.

gdb

BlueFox wrote: »

You are wasting your time and money, and annoying your neighbors with the ZAP sound.

Nearest neighbor is 1/4mi. away and others around here have reported great success with a hi-quality zapper.;) I always enjoy "wasting" money on electronic stuff anyway !:p

gdb

BlueFox wrote: »

My sister, who is near Fredrick MD, is absolutely going crazy with these ****. They must really be nasty since nothing will eat them.

I'm 20 minutes outside of Frederick,MD:eek:

bigaudiofanatic

Do not kill them if you do others will be attracted to that one.

They are bad this year because they are looking for a warm place to go and it has been a dry season.

messiah

Lasareath wrote: »

I only see them dead. Never saw a live one.

Why are they named stink bugs?

I understand the bug part but not the stink.

I'm guessing they smell bad :rolleyes:

mole'

out of no where, i had a ton of tiny ants show up in my kitchen. there was no food of anything left out. this happened yesterday when it was 115* out

Jstas

jflail2 wrote: »

Yes, and as the article states, there are currently NO natural predators for these little ****.

My cats won't even kill them. They'll stare at them for hours like a pointer dog or something, but won't touch them as they've already figured out the whole stink thing.

Honestly, I don't think there's anything we can do right now. I don't know of a pesticide that would target these guys, and there's not a bird that targets them specifically, so I'm not sure what to do except keep running my water bill up by flushing my toilet an extra 15-20 times a day.

Dude...

From Wikipedia...

here are many methods for removing the stink bug from a house without causing it to release its odor. The quickest way is to allow it to walk onto something like a newspaper and then simply take it outside, although the bug may simply find its way back inside again, and they can live for years. Another option is to gently collect it using a piece of tissue and flush it. An electric flyswatter quickly stuns them and kills them after a few seconds without squashing them, but it can still cause them to emit the foul smell, although not as often as a normal squashing. Dropping them into a jar with an inch of soapy water with a high enough concentration will dissolve the exoskeleton, and once enough are collected they can then be flushed down the toilet on occasion. A hand-held device called the BugZooka will capture live bugs by way of a sucking force, without killing them, and thus won't cause a stink. Vacuum cleaners have also been used, although this can stink up the vacuum cleaner.

I use a jar with pretty much straight dish soap. I only put enough water in so that the dish soap will flow freely for when I dump them. But the soap is gooey and they get stuck and can't fly out of it or crawl up the sides. I usually watch them perish and flip them off at the same time while laughing maniacally.

Also, if you have any of these trees:

White Mulberry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Mulberry



Cut them down and dig up the tap root. The White Mulberry is another invasive species from Asia. It's been classified as destructive and is one of the plants on the list to be freely destroyed. It breeds readily with the native Red Mulberry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_mulberry) and threatens that population. You want to get rid of it anyway. The flowers look like lung cancer tumors and smell like rotten, fetid peanuts and the fruits looks like blistering scabs and smell just about as nice too.

Anyway, they are used in Asia for the foliage to feed silkworms. But the rotting smell of the flowers seems to attract the little **** because it smells like an easy meal. At least that's how it seemed. I had these plants on my property and I eradicated them. They were covered in these brown marmorated stink bugs in August last year when they bloomed. I haven't seen very many this year since those trees have been destroyed.

Also, another plant to get rid of is the "Tree of Heaven":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_heaven



Same idea as the White Mulberry above but it threatens other species by way of physical means instead of breeding them out of existence. Anyhow, the Tree of Heaven, also known as the Ghetto Palm, is on the free to destroy list as well. It has stinky flowers as well. Also attracts stink bugs. It's an invasive species from Asia as well.

Why do so many bad things come Asia?

Jstas

bigaudiofanatic wrote: »

Do not kill them if you do others will be attracted to that one.

They are bad this year because they are looking for a warm place to go and it has been a dry season.

No, they are bad this year because the hot summer hit very early and stuck around. The adults mated and bred twice or more this season and that doubled the population overnight.

ryanjoachim

Lasareath wrote: »

I only see them dead. Never saw a live one.

Why are they named stink bugs?

I understand the bug part but not the stink.

It's in the article. When killed or threatened they release a foul smell, with some saying it is very "skunk-like" in it's scent.

We've had the green kind in Oregon for years...I remember squishing them when I was a kid.

mrbiron

I know this is going to sound insane but when squished, i catch a whiff of sour apple candies. This "Skunk Like" odor is people overreacting. As far as flushing each one, i'd recommend stock piling until you have yourself a good size crop and then flush them. Otherwise, that's a lot of water.

Squash them all....more are going to come anyway.

jflail2

Jstas wrote: »

Dude...



I use a jar with pretty much straight dish soap. I only put enough water in so that the dish soap will flow freely for when I dump them. But the soap is gooey and they get stuck and can't fly out of it or crawl up the sides. I usually watch them perish and flip them off at the same time while laughing maniacally.

LOL, now that's what I'm talking about. I'll be laughing maniacally too. I hate those little **** with a passion, so I'm going to love watching them die a slow death.

Question though, do they put off their scent in your trap? I'll get 1/2 a dozen or so accumulated in the toilet, and the next time I open the lid the bug stink is so bad it about takes your breath away.

And I wouldn't really call it a skunk like odor, but it is bad...

Jstas

If it does, I don't really notice. I usually use Dawn antibacterial detergent and it's scented pretty heavily so that's the majority of the aroma wafting from the jar. Then again, I don't sniff it, I just open the top and dump, flush, add more soap and water and close the jar. The jar's soul purpose is for stink bug death.

Joe08867

They stink real bad if you squish em.

My house looked like the Fly scene from Amytiville Horror.

I did watch a house spider kick the crap out of one and kill it. Fun times, Fun times...

jflail2

Joe08867 wrote: »

They stink real bad if you squish em.

My house looked like the Fly scene from Amytiville Horror.

I did watch a house spider kick the crap out of one and kill it. Fun times, Fun times...

Haha, that's a battle I'd love to see. I've been trying to be extra careful with spider webs around my door frames, window frames, etc so I hopefully can keep them up and growing.

This is the most infuriating infestation I have ever experienced. Killed another 30 or so last night after work.

LOL, I love your gusto Jstas. I'm going to have to make one of those jars when I get home tonight. I will revel in their slow deaths

TNRabbit

"The sooner we can adopt a predator for these guys the better. "

History has shown us the predator can often be worse than the prey they were brought in to control....

Joe08867

TNRabbit wrote: »

"The sooner we can adopt a predator for these guys the better. "

History has shown us the predator can often be worse than the prey they were brought in to control....

That's true, look at the Indians..... He He

ryanjoachim

Joe08867 wrote: »

That's true, look at the Indians..... He He

I think you mean, "look at the africa-americans".

Seeing as how they were once white-man's "prey", and now they control most sports!

hearingimpared

jflail2 wrote: »

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/27/us/27stinkbug.html

I probably flush 30-40 of these little **** a day. Absolutely infuriating!

The sooner we can adopt a predator for these guys the better. Anyone else dealing with this?

I don't recall them really being an issue even a couple of years ago, so I guess their presence in central VA is growing. And my family in western NC doesn't have to deal with them at all....I'm jealous!

Yeah Ja, we've been getting them here too.

Joe08867

ryanjoachim wrote: »

I think you mean, "look at the africa-americans".

Seeing as how they were once white-man's "prey", and now they control most sports!

I am not touching that with a ten foot pole. :eek::D

jflail2

LOL Sal, that's funny. It has motivated me to really give all my doors/windows a good once over, and make sure everything is sealed as tight as possible. I guess the upside is these little **** have probably reduced what my heat bill will be this winter

Yea Joe, you guys are right in the middle of the madness!

And that's funny Joe08, I was thinking the exact same thing, but I didn't read it as being intentionally harsh or anything so it just sounds funny to me

hearingimpared

jflail2 wrote: »

LOL Sal, that's funny. It has motivated me to really give all my doors/windows a good once over, and make sure everything is sealed as tight as possible. I guess the upside is these little **** have probably reduced what my heat bill will be this winter

Yea Joe, you guys are right in the middle of the madness!

And that's funny Joe08, I was thinking the exact same thing, but I didn't read it as being intentionally harsh or anything so it just sounds funny to me

Funny thing Jason, my son and wife are skeevy of bugs so when they bring one to me on a piece of paper I tell them it just a beetle but if you piss it off it will skunk all over you!!! Hehehe, I just love messing with them.:D I then take it from them and pretend to put it in my mouth!!!

I'm a regular riot Alice!

jflail2

LOL, you're not quite right Joe, which is a good thing

I'm normally not adverse to just grabbing creepy crawlies and throwing them out the front door, but these little guys just crap all over you. I swear I must have washed my hands for 10 minutes one night and could STILL smell the after effects of catching a couple by hand. Now they get a nice toilet paper cover.

I'm tempted to buy a couple of spiders from the pet store.......ONLY if they'll eat stink bugs. I am in Jsta's corner; I'd like to see them die a slow tortuous death

Joe08867

Windex takes away most of the smell if not all of it from your hands.

jflail2

I even tried a pinch of vodka and the smell was still kind of there, so I'll give this a go.