The stink bug invasion is upon us.
Native to China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, stink bugs were first noticed in the US Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1998. They have increased their population so much that they can now be found in 43 US states, Washington D.C., and Canada.
Originally thought to have made their migration to North America inside a fruit crate that came from China, the Stink Bug has become one of the most frustrating household pets in the US. Although you may not be a fan of these stinky little beasts, they are actually quite interesting. In this article, we’ll share some fun facts about stink bugs!
Fun Facts About Stink Bugs
The brown marmorated stink bug is a strange little creature that we are going to need to get used to being around — even though you might think that they look weird, and smell horrible.
Luckily, stink bugs don’t cause any danger, and they only ever enter your house to stay warm and sleep during the winter months. They don’t cause any harm to humans or transmit diseases, nor do they nest in your house, damage structures, or look for food in your kitchen.
Luckily, stink bugs don’t cause any danger, and they only ever enter your house to stay warm and sleep during the winter months. They don’t cause any harm to humans or transmit diseases, nor do they nest in your house, damage structures or look for food in your kitchen.
And although you may not like the look (or smell of them), stink bugs won’t cause a significant nuisance to your or your family.
So, are you ready for five fun facts about stink bugs? Read on to find out what they are…
1. Funky Facts
Stink bugs definitely stink, but they don’t do it because they don’t like you. In fact, stink bugs secrete their smelly liquid to attract other stink bugs.
The secretion comes out of pores in their abdomens, and it contains pheromones. These pheromones act as a signal to other stink bugs in the area that they have found a warm and safe place to congregate in the fall, when they’re looking for somewhere to hang out during the winter months.
The secretion comes out of pores in their abdomens, and it contains pheromones. These pheromones act as a signal to other stink bugs in the area that they have found a warm and safe place to congregate in the fall, when they’re looking for somewhere to hang out during the winter months.
During winter is when stink bugs enter diapause (more on this later). The more stink bugs that congregate in one space, the more stink they will emanate, which in turn causes even more stink bugs to gather.
Of course, stink bugs will also secrete their stinky liquid secretion if they are feeling threatened or get scared, but they only do this as a defense mechanism. Otherwise, it’s all about attracting their friends to the party.
The actual stink actually comes from chemical compounds that include trans-2-decenal and trans-2-octenal.
In fact, food scientists also use these chemical compounds to add aroma and flavor to dairy and bakery products.
However, when the same chemicals are secreted by the stink bug, the smell is so powerful that it ends up smelling like rotting cilantro. Yuck!
2. Recent Invaders
Originally from southeast Asia, stink bugs made their way into the United States in 1998 in a shipment of fruit. They were first noticed in Pennsylvania, but have since spread rapidly in most parts of the country, and to Canada.
And although they don’t pose any danger, unfortunately stink bugs have become a big problem for farmers. That’s because they love feeding on cash crops such as corn, soybeans, cherries, tomatoes, berries, tobacco, and other tree fruits like apricots.
The plants that they attack are injured by the distinctive bruising that the stink bug leaves behind, which dimples and shrivels the crop, making it unsellable.
The saliva that stink bugs inject when they’re feeding on these plants is what causes the bruising to happen.
3. Mouths Wide Shut
So, you know that stink bugs secrete saliva into a plant to feed off of its fruit, but they don’t do it with a mouth like you have.
Say what?
A stink bug has mouthparts that pierce and suck out juices, so there’s no need for them to bite and chew. And this is why they can’t bite you. So it’s really all good for us.
Oh, and although most stink bugs are vegetarian, so they pierce the skin and extract the juices of plant material. There are stink bugs that feed off of other insects, which use their piercing parts to inject their saliva and their sucking parts to extract the insides of their prey.
4. Good Vibes
Stink bugs don’t have mouths to communicate with each other, but they do have a special somethin’ somethin’ that is part of their mating ritual. They are able to move their abdomens in a certain way to transmit a vibrational signal that will attract a mate.
The vibrational signal is specific depending on the consistency of the plant, so they will look out for the right plant to transmit the signal effectively. They particularly like beanstalks, and the vibration they give off is an important part of the mating ritual of stink bugs.
5. Bear(like) Necessities
Bears, chipmunks and groundhogs aren’t the only animals that hibernate during the winter months. There are quite a few other creatures that do, and the stink bug can be considered to be one of them. Because as soon as the temperatures drop, they enter a hibernation-like state that’s known as diapause.
Just like a squirrel gathers acorns to feed on while it’s cold, during their diapause, stink bugs will burn through any nutrients that they stored during the spring and summer, which is when they fatten themselves up.
Just like a squirrel gathers acorns to feed on while it’s cold, during their diapause, stink bugs will burn through any nutrients that they stored during the spring and summer, which is when they fatten themselves up.
While they are in diapause, stink bugs are completely inactive, because their metabolism basically stops functioning when it gets cold.
Diapause doesn’t necessarily last all winter though, because if you keep your home on the warm side during the colder months, then these stinky little monsters can wake up out of their slumber well before spring arrives and leave their hiding places to go out on the hunt for food.
6. Regenerating Legs
Stink bugs don’t have claws, stingers, or a nasty jaw, but they do have legs: 6 of them. And if one of them were to come off, the stink bug can grow it back, at least during adolescence.
If only it was that easy for us!
Conclusion
We bet that it never occurred to you before you read this article that beyond their weird appearance and smelly whiff, stink bugs were also quite interesting little creatures. The truth is, stink bugs are fascinating little invaders.
And we hope you’ve enjoyed discovering more about them, so that the next time you see one, you can appreciate this wonder of Mother Nature.
Just remember to hold your nose!
