It seems they were everywhere in Central New York last year, and now experts are saying we're headed for a really bad stink bug season this year.

A Penn State Extension entomologist, Greg Krawczyk, predicts that 2020's stink bug season will be an especially bad one. According to Mental Floss, this year's mild winter combined with a hotter-than-average summer has resulted in two new generations of stink bugs instead of one.

More stink bugs. Because 2020.

When you spot one of these bugs in your house, your first instinct might be to reach for a rolled-up newspaper and squish one, but don't do it! The "stink bug" didn't come by that name coincidentally: when threatened or smushed, they give off a foul odor, and if you get any "remains" in your eye or on your skin, it can be irritating.

So how should you get rid of stink bugs?

First, don't let them get in. Seal up any cracks around doors or screens, and repair holes in screens.

Second, a quick disposal strategy is to vacuum them up - but only if you have the kind of vacuum with a removable bag. Otherwise, your vacuum might stink for a while. (I can vouch for this.)

Finally, and probably the easiest, stink bugs are attracted to light. They also can't swim, so a desk lamp with a tub of soapy water underneath makes a great DIY stink bug trap. You can also buy stink bug traps at your local hardware store.

 



 

 

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