Keep Stink Bugs Out
The brown marmorated stink bug is a non-native insect unintentionally introduced to the United States around 30 years ago. Stink bugs feed on a variety of plants and are a major pest of fruit trees and other crops, particularly in the mid-Atlantic region (EPA, 2025; USDA, n.d.). Now widespread throughout the country, we have come to expect them to enter our homes, schools and workplaces each fall. While they will not damage buildings or bite people, they can be a smelly nuisance and potentially cause allergic reactions (EPA, 2025). Here’s how to prevent them from choosing your school or home as an overwintering site.
The most effective method to keep stink bugs out is to seal cracks and crevices. This includes caulking windows inside and out, installing window screens, weather stripping entry doors and installing door sweeps, sealing foundation cracks and filling large gaps with steel wool when insulating plumbing pipes (EPA, 2025, Virginia Tech, 2023). Cracks as small as 1/16 to 1/8 inch can serve as entry points for this pest (West Virginia University, 2023). Additionally, it can be beneficial to rake away debris from the foundation of the building, which may attract stink bugs.
Stink bugs that have made their way inside can be vacuumed up. They should be quickly removed to prevent them from attracting other stink bugs (National Pesticide Information Center, 2025).
If the problem is severe, contact a pest control professional to treat surrounding vegetation in addition to the previous steps. Using pesticides indoors for stink bugs is often ineffective and not recommended (EPA, 2025; National Pesticide Information Center, 2025).
EPA. (2025, June 4). Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/brown-marmorated-stink-bug
National Pesticide Information Center. (2025, July 18). Stink Bugs. https://npic.orst.edu/pest/stinkbug.html
USDA. (n.d.). Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. USDA National Invasive Species Information Center. https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/invertebrates/brown-marmorated-stink-bug
Virginia Tech. (2023, October 27). Stink bugs: The good, the bad, and how to get rid of them. Virginia Tech News. https://news.vt.edu/articles/2023/10/stink_bugs_expert.html
West Virginia University. (2023, September 6). WVU Extension expert offers tips and tricks to keep stink bugs out of your house this fall. WVU Today. https://wvutoday.wvu.edu/media-center-blog/2023/09/06/expert-pitch-wvu-extension-expert-offers-tips-and-tricks-to-keep-stink-bugs-out-of-your-house-this-fall