No, stink bugs are able to survive Wisconsin winters. Many stink bugs to this by overwintering in protected places, including homes and other structures.
Wisconsin has some pretty cold winters, and that can certainly slow down stink bugs. But the cold weather alone won’t get rid of them all. Brown marmorated stink bugs, which are one of the species homeowners often notice around their own buildings, spend the colder months dormant. Before temperatures drop too far, adults look for dry, protected places where they can shelter until spring. Sometimes that place is inside a house, hopefully not yours.
Stink bugs don’t need big gaps to get in. Even small openings around siding, windows, doors, pipe and cable penetrations, rooflines, and vents can let them in. Once inside, they often settle into quiet places like wall voids and attics where the temperature is more stable than outdoors. You might not see a lot of activity in the middle of winter because the insects are largely inactive.
A sudden warm day or indoor heating set to a high temperature can often wake them up. When a stink bug wanders into your living room out of nowhere, it feels like a brand-new invasion. In reality, they've probably been hiding in wall voids or somewhere else similar for months.
When spring hits, the surviving stink bugs finally crawl out of hiding. That is why sealing them out in the fall beats hunting down the stragglers in your living room months later.
Check around doors and windows first and fix any worn seals or damaged screens. If you see other obvious exterior gaps, close those to the extent that you can without interfering with necessary ventilation. If stink bugs repeatedly gather around the same exterior areas, that can also help you find likely access points.
If stink bugs are gathering around or getting into your home, Mosquito Squad of Northeast Wisconsin can help with pest control around your property. Call (920) 821-1142 or request a free quote online.
