How to tell you have them
Stink bugs are shield-shaped, about half an inch long, and either bright green or mottled brown. In Pinellas the southern green stink bug and several brown stink bugs are the common ones, feeding on tomatoes, peppers, beans, citrus and ornamental plants. They release a sharp, skunky odor when disturbed or crushed.
What they damage
Indoors, stink bugs are a nuisance and nothing more: they do not bite, breed inside or damage the structure. In the garden they pierce fruit and seeds, leaving hard, discolored spots on tomatoes and shriveled pods on beans.
What treatment looks like
Keeping them out is the main job. We check screens, seal gaps around windows, doors, attic vents and utility lines, and treat the exterior walls and eaves where they land. Inside, vacuum them up and empty the bag outdoors, because crushing them releases the odor and can leave a stain. In the garden, knocking them into a bucket of soapy water early in the morning is the gentlest control on food plants. We do not treat vegetable gardens.
How long it takes
Indoor sightings drop within a week or two of sealing and exterior treatment. Garden numbers follow the season and peak from late summer into fall.
Florida notes
The brown marmorated stink bug, which invades homes in the Northeast by the thousands every fall, has been found in Florida but is not a common problem in Pinellas. If you see large numbers of brown stink bugs gathering on the house in fall, mention it when you call. Stink bug treatment of the house exterior is covered on every plan, starting with Quarterly.