Eight or so years ago, a few stink bugs found their way from someplace in their native Asia to Allentown, Pennsylvania.  Now they are reproducing like mad and are finding their way into homes in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey.  They've also been reported in Oregon.

They are ugly little guys, and they are hard to get rid of.  They have no predators here, and if a bird, bat or some other bug-eating creature tries to make a meal out of one, well, they let out a nasty rancid almond smell that is totally unappetizing. 

If you have them in your house and you try to swat them, yes, they emit a nasty odor that makes you hesitate to swat their buddies when you meet up.

It's a problem this time of year because they like to come inside to get away from the cold.  Once they start nesting in your house, it could get, well, stinky. 

The experts do not recommend pesticides until they can figure out what to use and when to use it for effectiveness.  So what's a squeamish homeowner to do with these unwelcome visitors?  They suggest vacuuming them up (be sure you use a vacuum cleaner with a bag) and take the whole thing outside to empty it out.

You can help keep them outside by going nuts with a caulk gun and putting weatherstripping all over the place - covering cracks that they can crawl through.  They also find their ways in through attic vents.

We're seeing some in northern Montgomery County, and I'm hoping they find some way to stop the spread to points south, like my back yard!