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Urban Stink Bugs! Another Reason to Make Your Home Green

By
Real Estate Agent with RLAH@Properties AB95346

Tuesday I was previewing a $3.5 million dollar home in one of the District's most elegant neighborhoods when I heard a shriek from a colleague who pointed out an extended family of stink bugs congregating on the screens of the extremely well-appointed master bedroom. 

I knew stink bugs had invaded out far suburbs - one of my favorite clients bought a home in Lovettsville, VA, and the little guys were trying for some aggressive looking home invasions during the walk-through.  But here, right in DC?  The seat of government?

The nerve!

It seems pretty inevitable that one of these days soon, I will find these creepy creatures on my own window screens.  So I hopped on Google to find out how to keep them outside.

First, they don't like the cold, but they are not into flying south for the winter.  Instead, they try to enter nice warm houses.  They especially like attics. 

So to keep them out, you need to seal up your home.  I'll need to put a screen on my chimney top, replace a missing pane in one of the attic dormers, and do a whole lot of caulking and weatherstripping.

I look at it as a double whammy - I lower both my electric bills and my exterminator bills!

The good thing is that stink bugs do not carry disease and they won't eat the wood in your attic's rafters.  The bad thing is that they are major reekers.

 

Comments (34)

Nina Rogoff
Boston, MA
Wix Websites for Real Estate Agents

Gives me the shivers to read about any kind of bug! The worst thing about living in Maryland were those very large spider type, camel crickets. YUGHH! I never saw anything like that before! Big, spidery and they jump!

Oct 07, 2010 02:47 PM
Michael Bergin
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - ABR - SRES - Alexandria, VA
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Pat, I "helped" three of the little guys out of an open house on Sunday. A $1.95 million house and they were right at home.

Oct 07, 2010 03:23 PM
Kay Van Kampen
RE/MAX Broker, RE/MAX - Springfield, MO
RealtorĀ®, Springfield Mo Real Estate

I'd forgotten about these little devils.  I haven't seen any of them this year.

Oct 07, 2010 03:43 PM
Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

No more bugs. I hope they can't climb to the 14th floor. 

Oct 07, 2010 03:55 PM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Patricia, what on earth is sinky bug? Never heard about them. Are they really stinky?

Oct 07, 2010 04:22 PM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Pat haven't seen these bugs and I hope I won't. It took the stink bug to get you adopt certain energy saving strategies :)

Oct 07, 2010 04:27 PM
Steve Shatsky
Dallas, TX

Hi Pat... I contend that there have been stink bugs in Washington for years.  Draw your own metaphors!

Oct 07, 2010 04:31 PM
Dr. Paula McDonald
Beam & Branch Realty - Granbury, TX
Granbury, TX 936-203-0279

Yikes, that really stinks!!!  Sorry...had to go there.

Oct 07, 2010 05:04 PM
Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

I don't believe I have ever run into them around here. Yuck.

Oct 07, 2010 05:20 PM
Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

Pat ~  Please keep the stink bugs in DC.  I don't think they will get a warm welcome in New Hampshire.

Oct 07, 2010 05:43 PM
Ginny Gorman
RI Real Estate Services ~ 401-529-7849~ RI Waterfront Real Estate - North Kingstown, RI
Homes for Sale in Southern RI and beyond

Didn't know about these horrible bugs before...that's one thing i haven't seen or heard of in the north east!

Oct 07, 2010 11:33 PM
Jackie Connelly-Fornuff
Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Babylon NY - Babylon, NY
"Moving at The Speed of YOU!"

Never heard of them and I hope to never come across one, lol. We do not usually get bugs like these. I have seen June bugs and those are ugly as well!

Oct 07, 2010 11:37 PM
Ellen Caruso
Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty - Glen Head, NY

I'm with Jackie, who are they and where did they come from? I've had my share of invading Lady Buys, but their not as gross.

Oct 07, 2010 11:42 PM
Judy Jennings
Top Agent Plus - Middleboro, MA
Tap into Judy's real estate expertise & resources.

Pat - Just like bed bugs, these stinkers have also increased their population. They are in our area, but running across them is not a frequent occurrence, and hopefully it will stay that way!!!

Oct 08, 2010 12:29 AM
Kathryn Maguire
GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA
Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

I would definitely be someone who would shriek over a swarm of stink bugs...or any other bug. 

Oct 08, 2010 01:11 AM
Holly Weatherwax
Associate Broker, Momentum Realty - Reston, VA
A Great Real Estate Experience

Great twist on this stinky issue, Pat!  My husband has a company that specializes in home energy audits and weather sealing, Ardently Green(they do a lot of work in D.C, if you need a resource). I will mention this post to him...everyone hates the Stinkbugs and loves the results of sealing their house.

Oct 08, 2010 01:12 AM
Jack Mossman - The Nines Team at Keller Williams in Lodi
The Nines Team at Keller Williams in Lodi - Lodi, CA
The Nines Team in Lodi

Oh Pat .. this is way too easy ... Nation's Capitol and stink bugs ... where's Jay Leno when you need him?

Great tips that also take care of issues found in other parts of the country ... like attic invasion from squirrels, mice, birds and other more creepier critters ....  Thanks for sharing.

 

Oct 08, 2010 06:19 AM
Teri Deane
RE/MAX 100 - Columbia, MD
Realtor, ABR, CRS, SFR - The Deane Team

They must like the smell of petrol. . .can't tell you how many were at the gas station today - several hitched a ride on my car too!

Oct 08, 2010 10:17 AM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

I did not know that such a bug really existed - I thought it was just a joke - thanks for the lesson!

Oct 10, 2010 02:36 AM
Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

Pat - Heard of them, never saw one or experienced this in the NY climate.  Thank goodness.  Yuck.

Oct 13, 2010 05:09 PM