(njaes.rutgers.edu – image credit)

The stink bug is causing such a stink in many states that it’s even giving the dreaded bed bug quite the competition. In September, the “Great Stink Bug Count,” began in an effort to fight the brown marmorated stink bug that the USDA called its “top invasive insect of interest” early this year.

The count is a citizen-led census that calls for participants to take a daily count of the nasty critters they spot on the exterior of their home and submit the information online. Scientists hope to analyze the color of each home as well as their size, location, elevation and the surrounding vegetation to see what attracts the insects.

The bugs have been wreaking havoc in as many as three dozen states, with New York being one of the hardest hit areas, keeping any exterminator NYC quite busy.

The stink bug is aptly named; its scent glands are located on the dorsal surface of the abdomen and the underside of the thorax, emitting a smell some have compared to “rotting garbage.” Due to its extremely foul smelling odor, calling in an exterminator NYC is your best bet if you notice an infestation. The bugs not only emit their noxious scent when crushed, but also when they are disturbed. As the odor can remain in the home for some time after the insects are removed, the job is better left to the professionals.

The stink bug can make the home environment rather unpleasant and when it comes to crops they can cause extensive damage.  In the Hudson Valley last fall, some apple tree growers saw as much as 50 percent of their trees damaged.

Stink bugs are also rather resilient when it comes to pesticides, although some types can still be useful for providing a line of defense. Keep in mind that a professional, licensed exterminator NYC, like Assured Environments, should always be called to apply pesticides.