Here’s an insect that I recently found in my house. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, an insect not previously seen on our continent, was apparently accidentally introduced into eastern Pennsylvania about 10-15 years ago.
It is native to China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan. This insect feeds on a wide range of fruits, vegetables and other plants. It is a sucking insect, a “true bug”, that uses its straw-like mouth to pierce a host plant in order to feed.
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs are attracted to the outsides of houses on warm Fall days while searching for protected, overwintering sites. They occasionally reappear during warmer, sunny periods throughout the Winter, and again when they emerge in the Spring.
They are the typical “shield” shape of other stink bugs, almost as wide as they are long, which is less than an inch. The name “stink bug” refers to the scent glands which release an odor when the insect feels threatened. This prevents it from being eaten by many types of birds and lizards.
Adults can live from several months to a year. While sometimes confused with native stink bugs, to identify this species accurately, examine its antennae for alternating bands of light and dark on the last two segments.