There was a stink bug above my air conditioner and I thought to myself, "Oh, here we go".

In actuality, stink bug season can start in March, but they are most prominent in the summer and fall. This October proves to be stink bug mania in Massachusetts.

Ewwwwww

What Is A Stink Bug?

This true bug in the insect family Pentatomidae is known as an agricultural pest in its native range of China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. -ag.umass.edu

I didn't realize that stink bugs are relatively new to this continent.

Do Certain Weather Conditions Attract Stink Bugs?

Yes! Warm and wet.

Increased precipitation boosts activity from moisture-loving bugs like mosquitoes, cockroaches, stink bugs, and termites. -raid.com

Are Stink Bugs Harmful?

No. They are annoying though, but do not bite. They love the WARM temperatures. That is why they LOVE your HOUSE. They do not spread disease either.

Do Stink Bugs Actually Stink, Though?

Yes and no.

So, here's the deal, when you crush a stink bug, they emit a foul odor, or when they feel threatened.

When many people find a stink bug, their first instinct is to squish them. However, when disturbed or crushed, stink bugs have a tendency to release a bad-smelling, bad-tasting odor from pores on the sides of their bodies. This is how the pest earned its name. -pestworld.org

So, If I Can't Squish Them, How Do I Get Rid Of Them?

Ok, so now we know that stink bugs only stink when you crush them, so what I normally do is sort of "cradle" the stink bug in a paper towel and release it back into the wild, so to speak.

Another method that seems to work is a vaccuum!

I hope you found this post fun and informative.