It seems that with the abnormally warm October comes an infestation of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. (Here’s what the Canadian Government says about them: BMSB). A couple weeks ago, I saw a couple inside our home. Naturally, I got rid of them and thought nothing of it. Just a bug making its way inside somehow.

Last weekend, as we started to prepare our backyard for winter, an abundance of these critters were discovered. Under our gazebo, we have our deck furniture set up. As I lifted the cushions up, I began to notice hundreds of these little brown shielded insects conglomerating in groups. They were seeking warmth on the cool nights.

Aside from the initial “ugh, gross” moment- these bugs don’t bite. They are easy to scoop up, but they scuttle away like cockroaches when disturbed. The biggest tip- don’t squish them. That’s when they ooze and cause the stink. There’s not much you can do except vacuum them up and toss them out. I did hear that drowning them is a good way to get kill them. Unless of course you enjoy the smell they secrete when squashed.

If that’s the case, let me know- I’ll bag up a bunch for you to destroy.