Halyomorpha halys has re-entered the housing market in greater Cincinnati.

The spurts of warmer weather is confusing the most recent plague to hit our area.  Stink bugs have been spotted slowly moving around local homes.  The stink bug– aptly named because when it’s scared or crushed it lets off one of the most disgusting pungent orders I’ve ever smelled.   Normally the bugs hide in warm spaces during the cold months then reappear when the weather warms up.  However the warmer weather seems to have motivated the critters to wander out of hiding and turn frustrated home owners into bounty hunters- trying to find the most effective (least odorous) way to get them out of the house.

The good news – stink bugs typically don’t damage the inside of your home or condo.  The bad news – they eat every crop and plant in site so your vegetable patch or indoor plants may be their next target.  The National Pest Management Association provides tips to deter stink bugs. A quick reminder to sellers that if you have a stink bug problem you need to be diligent about scooping up the critters before showings.  Since the bugs seem to appear out of nowhere, I often suggest that sellers check dark, quiet places behind or under furniture -places where bugs might snooze for awhile before greeting prospective buyers.

The better news is that while the stink bug infestation isn’t going to disappear soon, it appears that more areas around greater Cincinnati are beginning to find them inside their homes and condos.  And while nobody wants to see one- buyers are probably better informed about local infestations and aren’t running out the door the first time they see (or smell) one.