Stink Bug Bite
The name itself conjures images of a stench rising from a small insect. And yes they are stinly bugs with an odor that emanates from their abdomens because of a chemical that they produce from a gland located on the abdomen. Some of their species can actually spray the chemical for several inches.
They are not harmful to human beings and onlycertain species of stink bugs bite and these are the predatory species like the kudzu bug and the megacoptacribraria. But they do not purposely target human being as hosts instead they only bit if you trap them against your skin.
The stink bug is oval in shape or it can also be described as shield shaped. They belong to the hemiptera order of the insect family and specifically the Pentatomidae family.
The stink bug bite
Before they bite they will emit a liquid that will cause a burning sensation to deter you or any other predators from touching them. Their bite on the other hand is quite painful but it is not poisonous nor does it cause a sever reaction. There are over 200 species of stink bugs found in the United States and most feed on vegetables. In fact, they can be quite a menace to farmers who have a good crop in the field as they eat agricultural produce.
Unfortunately when they enter your house their odor can be overpowering. They love the light so they will enter your house during the day but at night they also enter when attracted to the light.
Their bite will cause a swelling but because they are not venomous they will not cause any adverse reaction in most people. Only one species called the brown marmorated stink bug acronymed as BMSB can cause an allergic reaction in people. It is an invasive species native to the Asian continent and it has been known to cause conjunctivitis and rhinitis because its smell is an aeroallergen. In this case you have to treat the allergy symptoms by going to the doctor to get medication.
How to keep stink bugs away
The best thing you can do for yourself is to prevent stink bugs from entering your home. You can do this by caulking your windows, removing any vegetation as well as plant debris from near your house’s foundation and also install weather strip at the doors. In addition you should have plumbing inspection and install screens on the doors and windows.
The stink bug may not be a typical biter but they are not a pleasure to be around so if you have heard of an infestation near your house take the precautionary measures to mitigate them.Keeping your house clean will help you identify their odor distinctly.
