Stink Bugs

[willwander]

We managed to pick up a few hitch hikers on our visit to the South of France last year.

We’ve since got rid of hundreds of them and we’re still finding them in the van 6 months after our return to the uk.

Google tells me they’re called Stink Bugs, they seem quite harmless but they just keep on appearing no matter how many we catch.

Anyone any experience with them and how to get rid of them?

 

[WelshGas]

View attachment 135935

We managed to pick up a few hitch hikers on our visit to the South of France last year.

We’ve since got rid of hundreds of them and we’re still finding them in the van 6 months after our return to the uk.

Google tells me they’re called Stink Bugs, they seem quite harmless but they just keep on appearing no matter how many we catch.

Anyone any experience with them and how to get rid of them?

Plug into inverter socket

Amazon.co.uk

 

[Tycho]

View attachment 135935

We managed to pick up a few hitch hikers on our visit to the South of France last year.

We’ve since got rid of hundreds of them and we’re still finding them in the van 6 months after our return to the uk.

Google tells me they’re called Stink Bugs, they seem quite harmless but they just keep on appearing no matter how many we catch.

Anyone any experience with them and how to get rid of them?

They are harmless to us and our Calis, they feed on living plants. These are an exotic species from Asia. If they all look like the one in the picture then you have a group of adult Bugs in your Cali. It is possible they used the Cali as a safe place to hibernate. Some of these Bugs do this in groups. All they want is to get out, feed, find a mate and lay eggs.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

They are in invasive species, best way to get rid of them…

Stink bugs: The good, the bad, and how to get rid of them

With summerlike temperatures on their way out and cooler temperatures moving in, homeowners may start to see more uninvited guests inside, particularly the brown marmorated stink bug. Virginia Tech experts say not only are these bugs a nuisance, they also pose an economic threat to farmers. But...

news.vt.edu

 

[zpalm]

They are in invasive species, best way to get rid of them…

Stink bugs: The good, the bad, and how to get rid of them

With summerlike temperatures on their way out and cooler temperatures moving in, homeowners may start to see more uninvited guests inside, particularly the brown marmorated stink bug. Virginia Tech experts say not only are these bugs a nuisance, they also pose an economic threat to farmers. But...

news.vt.edu

 

[TripleBee]

I am, or I hope was, in the same situation.
Lowering my sun visors got me scared about 3 times when one appeared on the head lining.
3 or 4 appearing on the front side windows.
The 50 or more others on the outside of the roof canvas.
It's been a while now since I've seen one.
Tomorrow there will now probably another one.
As said, they're harmless, but a pain to get rid of.

 

[willwander]

They are harmless to us and our Calis, they feed on living plants. These are an exotic species from Asia. If they all look like the one in the picture then you have a group of adult Bugs in your Cali. It is possible they used the Cali as a safe place to hibernate. Some of these Bugs do this in groups. All they want is to get out, feed, find a mate and lay eggs.

We been debugging for nearly 6 months now.
Got to admire the little buggers, they know how to hide.

I mean I’ve nothing against them, I’m not normally one to squish spiders, but we live right next door to a SSSI and I’d hate to think we were responsible for introducing a plague of the blummin things.

 

[Kemper-van]

The power of the internet: i was just discussing the exact same issue with my wife this weekend. Cali was in South France last october, and ever since I’ve been finding some of these bugs every few days. No idea where they are hiding… but definitely looking for a final solution.
@WelshGas do you have any experience with your solution on these bugs?

I can’t find a lot of solutions online, tbh…

 

[willwander]

The power of the internet: i was just discussing the exact same issue with my wife this weekend. Cali was in South France last october, and ever since I’ve been finding some of these bugs every few days. No idea where they are hiding… but definitely looking for a final solution.
@WelshGas do you have any experience with your solution on these bugs?

I can’t find a lot of solutions online, tbh…

Yeah, we were there in October too.
Found one or two every few days since, despite a number of deep clean/debugging missions.

We’ve tried the soapy water and the peppermint/lavender oil and some other stuff that was suggested on the internet, no luck there ha

 

[Kemper-van]

I just hope these bugs don’t start to mate in the van… otherwise we’ll never get rid of them!

 

[WelshGas]

The power of the internet: i was just discussing the exact same issue with my wife this weekend. Cali was in South France last october, and ever since I’ve been finding some of these bugs every few days. No idea where they are hiding… but definitely looking for a final solution.
@WelshGas do you have any experience with your solution on these bugs?

I can’t find a lot of solutions online, tbh…

Not specifically but it is effective against a wide range of insects so should work.

 

[JanTheVan]

 

[sticky1]

Smart little bug, using campervans.
I will be interested to see what NIAB suggest, I suspect a smoke bomb in the van is the only way.
We use Baygon in France as that seems to kill everything even flying past the spray - I suspect not great for humans either.

 

[Kemper-van]

Smart little bug, using campervans.
I will be interested to see what NIAB suggest, I suspect a smoke bomb in the van is the only way.
We use Baygon in France as that seems to kill everything even flying past the spray - I suspect not great for humans either.

Please let us know what they respond!
I’m not in UK myself…

 

[willwander]

View attachment 136144

Ha, interesting.
I’ve emailed a photo. I received an automated email in reply saying they will be back in touch once they have confirmed the identification of our little bug from the photo.

I’ll keep you updated.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

light a citronella candle in the van and let it burn (the candle not the Van), should kill em all wherever they are hiding!

 

[Corradobrit]

light a citronella candle in the van and let it burn (the candle not the Van), should kill em all wherever they are hiding!

I thought citronella was a deterrant and not a chemical weapon against bugs.
Here are some natural stink bug predators. No guarantee the cure will not be worse than the disease, so to speak

Birds:
Species like bluebirds, robins, and cardinals are among the most significant predators of stink bugs.

• Spiders:
  Both web-building and hunting spiders, including orb-weavers, jumping spiders, and wolf spiders, prey on stink bugs.
  
• Insects:
  Crickets, katydids, ground beetles, earwigs, and assassin bugs are also known to eat stink bugs.
  
• Predatory Stink Bugs:
  Some stink bug species, like the spined soldier bug, actively hunt and consume other stink bugs.
  
• Parasitoids:
  Wasps like the samurai wasp (Trissolcus japonicus) lay their eggs in stink bug eggs, and their larvae consume the eggs.
  
• Other Animals:
  Bats and some small mammals may also prey on stink bugs or their eggs.
  

 

[willwander]

light a citronella candle in the van and let it burn (the candle not the Van), should kill em all wherever they are hiding!

Nah, we’ve tried that.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Nah, we’ve tried that.

Then learn to speak french and make friends!

Or

Buy a https://bugpets.co.uk/praying-mantis/

 

[willwander]

I thought citronella was a deterrant and not a chemical weapon against bugs.
Here are some natural stink bug predators. No guarantee the cure will not be worse than the disease, so to speak

Birds:
Species like bluebirds, robins, and cardinals are among the most significant predators of stink bugs.

• Spiders:
  Both web-building and hunting spiders, including orb-weavers, jumping spiders, and wolf spiders, prey on stink bugs.
• Insects:
  Crickets, katydids, ground beetles, earwigs, and assassin bugs are also known to eat stink bugs.
• Predatory Stink Bugs:
  Some stink bug species, like the spined soldier bug, actively hunt and consume other stink bugs.
• Parasitoids:
  Wasps like the samurai wasp (Trissolcus japonicus) lay their eggs in stink bug eggs, and their larvae consume the eggs.
• Other Animals:
  Bats and some small mammals may also prey on stink bugs or their eggs.

You’re joking right?
We are not introducing wolf spiders or samurai wasps to the van.

 

[willwander]

Then learn to speak french and make friends!

Or

Buy a https://bugpets.co.uk/praying-mantis/

Tried that. Apparently they are Asian and didn’t understand a word.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

No they should speak and understand French....see Indo-china......France "owned" most of south east Asia at one time or another.

 

[willwander]

No they should speak and understand French....see Indo-china......France "owned" most of south east Asia at one time or another.

Well maybe it was my French, it’s a bit sketchy tbf

 

[CYCLOPATH]

We found just one after returning from bigbury in the south hams.
I sent pic to the RHS as advised by mr google. They said it was and asked for the specimin and where we have been
I’ve subsequently noticed a few around our garden.
Not seen any more in the van and never smelt anything

 

[caliblue]

View attachment 135935

We managed to pick up a few hitch hikers on our visit to the South of France last year.

We’ve since got rid of hundreds of them and we’re still finding them in the van 6 months after our return to the uk.

Google tells me they’re called Stink Bugs, they seem quite harmless but they just keep on appearing no matter how many we catch.

Anyone any experience with them and how to get rid of them?

We have tried putting diesel heater on high for 15 mins then turned on air con full blast. This has flushed out quite a few bugs, also hot weather helps.