The Polar Vortex Didn’t Really Kill 95% of Stink Bugs

Don't get too excited about the viral news of the Polar Vortex killing 95% of stink bugs. It's not really true.

The headline of stink bugs being killed off during the recent cold Winter weather spread like wildfire. The Virginia Tech study reported across the country was actually from 2014. The same study the Baltimore Sun proved was inaccurate. "I would be nice to think winter killed them," said Stanton Gill of the University of Maryland Extension, where he specializes in integrated pest management. "But I doubt it. They are good at finding places to hunker down."

Stink bugs originated in Asia and was first discovered in Pennsylvania in the mid-1990’s and quickly spread throughout the mid-Atlantic states. The pesky bugs feed on fruit and vegetable crops and invade homes in the fall to seek shelter and warmth during the Winter months. So those bugs have already hunkered down for the Winter and aren't really being killed off by the cold temperatures. Especially the ones in the Northeast. They are use to finding warm places before Winter arrives.

Stink bugs got their name because they STINK. They emit an odor when scared, touched or squashed. Researchers at Virginia Tech have discovered an easy, inexpensive way to get rid of those little buggers though.

Put a mixture of soap and water in a disposable aluminum pan. Shine a light on the water and hours later you’ll find all those stink bugs floating on the surface. Make sure any cracks in your home are sealed so they can't find their way in.