A stinky little problem: True to its name, malodorous bug
invades many area homes DOVER — A small insect notorious for
generating big headaches around the Seacoast is once again
giving homeowners reason to gripe. Stink bugs — small, smelly
pests that can damage crops and overwhelm buildings — have been
a recent source of frustration as they congregate in masses
outside and inside homes in preparation for the winter months.
“I'm not sure why, but this has been a great year for them,”
said Alan Eaton, an entomologist at the University of New
Hampshire's Cooperative Extension program. “They search for
cracks or crevasses to hide in and form huge masses on
buildings.” And these masses have been visible as of late, with
large numbers invading homes in search of overwintering sites.
As Eaton explained, most of these stink bugs are known as the
western conifer seed bug — an insect which has expanded eastward
since first being detected in Pennsylvania in 1992. The western
conifer seed bug is a relative of the brown m