Stink bugs are rather annoying buggers. They seem to appear out of nowhere, and they have that unique scent they expel when they feel threatened or get squashed, or through their droppings.
Along with their six legs that allow them to crawl through your home, one might wonder: do stink bugs fly?
- Mature stink bugs have two pairs of wings that allow them to buzz around in flight.
- Stink bugs can fly up to three miles a day if necessary.
- These bugs utilize wind currents to be able to travel longer distances.
To understand the capacity of a stink bug’s flight capability and other important factors, we thought we’d take it in-depth to look at this creepy crawly.
Stink Bugs 101
Before we finish answering the question about whether they fly or not, let’s get to know these bugs a little bit better.
Stink bugs (at least the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug) are not native to the United States, and are actually from the Asian continent. But over the past few decades, they have expanded their population to be present in every state. They were accidentally introduced to North America in the 1990s.
Stink bugs are not native to the US, and are from the Asian continent. But they have expanded their population to be present in every state.
Stink bugs are not dangerous to humans (though their spray can cause a rash) and have very few predators in nature. But maybe the one thing that should be known is that they don’t only have one scent.
They have a wide range of scents that they utilize to communicate with other bugs and protective measures. They use pheromones in their scent to send messages to other stink bugs, but they don’t release a scent that attracts bugs when they die.
These stinkers are present all year long, but in the colder months, they hunker down for hibernation in warm areas like your home.
Do Stink Bugs Fly? How Do They Move Around?
So stink bugs do have wings, and they are capable of flying long distances. Flight is an important mode of travel for them as it allows them to cover a wider range of areas to find food, shelter, and mates.
These well-known bugs can fly up to three miles a day. And when their wings aren’t in use, they are folded down and utilized as a shield for the main part of their body.
These well-known bugs can fly up to three miles a day. And when their wings aren’t in use, they are folded down and utilized as a shield for the main part of their body.
They don’t love to fly, but will certainly do so if threatened or if seeking a mate.
When in flight, they seek out wind currents which allow them to travel further.Â
But if the wind is not cooperative, they can engage their very powerful wings. At this time, this is the prime moment you might be able to hear them buzzing, especially when they are close by.
But this is not the only way they get from place to place.
Though they can fly long distances, many of these bugs move from place to place by climbing into boxes and hitching a ride with them. Along with this ability, they can climb very well and get into tiny places, allowing them a wider range of movement.
Best Way to Get Rid of Stink Bugs
Since these bugs can both fly into your home and crawl, it might be good to have a working knowledge of how to get rid of them. Sure, if you see one, you could always step on it, which would solve that one problem. But you’ll likely get a nasty stink for a while.
And remember that most of the time, if there is one, there is probably more hanging around the house.
Since these bugs can both fly into your home and crawl, it might be good to have a working knowledge of how to get rid of them.
Many people then automatically reach for the vacuum, which may be the fastest way, but maybe even better would be to utilize other methods to prevent them from even getting in the home.
- Make sure to check all your screens, windows, and doors to ensure they are properly sealed. This means adjusting your weather stripping and fixing any holes in screens to keep bugs from getting in.
- You may also want to look for cracks around your windows, pipes, foundation, etc. so that you can seal them up with caulk or foam to prevent them from crawling through.
- Stink bugs are attracted to lights, so you might want to figure out ways to keep your lights away from the doors and windows so as not to draw them in.
- If you are moving boxes or other items into your home, check them before you come in to ensure you don’t have any unwanted passengers.
- When looking outdoors, you can always hire an exterminator to come and spray pesticides outside to keep the bugs away from your home.
- If you are working outdoors, you can also use traps and other tools like Kaolin clay to keep stink bugs out.
Conclusion
Understanding that stink bugs can fly due to their very powerful wings is important when considering ways to prevent them from getting into your home.
We hope you can deal with any stink bug issues that might arise in your home.
The information above should be able to help you alleviate this concern and deal with any unwanted visitors.Â
