A Brief History of Bedbugs in Michigan and 4 Home Remedies to Try

It was a historic year. The search engine we now know as Google was founded, the FDA approved Viagra, the name Lewinski entered our vocabulary, Apple unveiled the iMac, ANNNNDDDDDD thumbtacks made their first appearance in the Michigan.

The invasive species is coming to Michigan

THE brown marbled stink bug, as it’s known in science circles, arrived in Mitten State in 1998 and we’ve collectively avoided those seemingly awkward fliers ever since. They hitchhiked from Southeast Asia, more than likely on a shipment that arrived in the US in the mid-90s, possibly in Pennsylvania.

These charming little pests are most attracted to homes with ornamental plants, gardens, berry bushes and fruit trees. They also like to spend time in homes that get plenty of sun in the spring and summer.

The impact of chinch bugs on Michigan agriculture

Their biggest impact in Michigan has been on crops. Stink bugs are also not picky eaters, they will eat any vegetable, fruit, legume, nut, cotton, and houseplants. The University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Program detailed how this invasive species causes crop damage simply by eating it with its straw-like mouth:

Plant bugs directly damage the crop by feeding on the fruit. Early season feeding causes dimples or irregularly sunken areas to form on ripe fruit. If feeding occurs after maturity, there is little external evidence other than feces, which appear as small, brown, teardrop-shaped drops.

Mid-Atlantic US farmers suffered catastrophic losses in 2010 due to the impact of BMSB on peaches and other fruit crops.

If you crush a bedbug, does it attract more? Experts disagree

As a defensive tactic, bedbugs secrete a pungent odor when threatened and especially when crushed. Does it attract more bugs like some sort of hydra bug? Opinions vary:

Experts at Rutgers University are frequently asked, “Will killing the stink bug bring in more people?” Here is their response:

No. Although this is true for some types of insects, it does not occur with the brown marmorated stink bug.

Are the good folks at Rutgers lying? Because BobVila.com disagrees:

If you do anything to disturb the shield-shaped, dime-sized bug, you could suddenly find yourself subject to its foul smell, which attracts even more bugs!

You have to respect a nice institution like Rutgers, but Bob Vila… he had a beard and a checkered shirt. Who do you believe?

What is this smell?

As for the smell, think of bedbugs like the bedbug skunk: if you upset it, it might spray you (some species of bedbugs can spray the chemicals several inches, thank you for that nightmarish fuel Orkin) and if you kill her, it will stink up a whole house.

It turns out that this smell has a lot of the same chemicals found in cilantro, but it’s not nearly as appetizing. If it’s strong enough, it can linger for hours, so it’s best not to crush small pests. Better to vacuum or rinse them because the same chemicals that give off that smell also stain floors, carpets and other surfaces.

When can you expect them to arrive?

Mosquitoes and bedbugs share similar seasons in Michigan, primarily between March and September. In the spring, they emerge and begin to feed. They need their strength because the breeding season runs from May to August. Brown marbled stink bugs lay a mass of around 20 to 30 eggs, which are usually red in color. The good news is that they lay their eggs there outside, usually under a leaf.

Once they hatch, they will go through five molts before reaching adulthood. Rutgers University says they will spend a grand total of 6-8 months on the planet, most spent trying to find the hot spots that attract them. This explains why you find so many of them in and around light fixtures and other electronics.

Once fall arrives, these pests scramble to find a warm place to spend the winter months they might have in their short lives. This explains why the change of season brings bedbugs back into our homes. They are tricky too! They are ridiculously flat and can slip through even the smallest crevices. Once a bed bug finds a nice place to hide, it’s kind enough to release that wonderful scent so that its family and friends all come to cuddle up. This is when they go into diapause, a sort of hibernation. Basically, they take a long nap and start the cycle all over again in the spring.

How to prevent them from entering?

Seal it well! Every nook and cranny. These smelly intruders can suck it in, flatten it, and squeeze through even the smallest holes.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which considers stink bugs an invasive pest, recommends the following:

• Caulk windows inside and out.

• Caulk entry doors and/or install door sweeps if daylight is visible around the perimeter of the door.

• Remove all debris and edible vegetation from the foundations of your home to avoid attracting pests.

• Inspect and seal foundation cracks to block a potential entry point.

• Secure crawl space entrances.

• When insulating exposed plumbing pipes around your home’s foundation or crawl space, caulk small gaps and fill larger ones with steel wool.

• If your home has a chimney, cover or screen the top of the chimney to keep pests out.

• Contact a pest control professional to treat surrounding vegetation near your home’s foundation, which may harbor large populations of stink bugs, with products approved for residential outdoor use. For more information, see Choosing a Pest Control Company.

Are bedbugs here to stay?

Experts may disagree on whether or not crushing one will attract more, but most agree they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, the brown marmorated stink bug has even begun to colonize the UK.