Here’s Why You’re Seeing Lots Of Stink Bugs Right Now In NJ

With the heat and humidity of the summer behind us here at the Jersey Shore, you might think that pest season is over.

But it's not, and there's one pest in particular that's arrived in force in these early days of fall 2019:

Stink bugs, and lots of them.

One of my co-workers reported finding her outside deck covered in the putrid pests yesterday, and similar scenes are playing out across the Garden State.

Why the sudden influx of stink bugs?

According to NJ.com, we can thank the fact that summer-like weather stretched later into the season than usual this year.

Not only have the bugs had longer to reproduce thanks to the warm and dry stretch of weather recently, but an entomologist at Rutgers University says that colder weather moving in could be forcing the pests to seek shelter in warm places like our homes.

So, what should you do if you're the victim of a stink bug infestation?

Well, don't step on them, that's for sure.

In fact, the NJ.com article says that the easiest (and least stinky) remedy is to just vacuum those buggers up and ditch the vacuum bag.

The bugs are harmless but crushing the critters, especially indoors, could make your time relaxing at home quite a bit less relaxing than you'd like, so handle those stink bugs with care!