A common Connecticut pest is finding its way back into homes across the state. The brown marmorated stink bug is back.
“As soon as the phones turned on, they started ringing, got some emails from current customers,” said Mike Diurno with Aplha Wildlife and Pest Management.
He said first thing Tuesday, they received six phone calls asking about pests that were crawling up and down their screens on windows and doors.
“We see it all the time, just because you have them, it's no reason to panic,” company co-owner Alex Russow said.
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They’re not native to Connecticut, but now are common. Experts say it’s the changing weather that is leading to their interest in the indoors.
“It’s the climate and weather cues,” said Gale Ridge with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
She said the cooler nights and warmer days are a signal for the brown marmorated stink bug and other pests to begin the process of searching for a warm place to spend the winter.
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Ridge said they will take advantage of cracks or crevasses around windows, doors or foundations to find their way inside. But, they have no interest in wreaking havoc on your home.
“They are harmless, there are no medical issues, they will not eat anything in the house, what they are going to do is just sit out the winter,” Ridge said.
With the stink bug, other species of insect are also looking for opportunities to over-winter, like the multicolored Asian lady beetle, the western conifer seed bug and other common Connecticut insects.
“Physical exclusion is the best way of preventing them of coming in the house,” Ridge said.
Experts say the best way to keep them out is to make sure all screens in your home are in working order, and to make sure there are no cracks or crevasses leading to the outdoors that they can take advantage of.
