They sound the alarm about a massive outbreak of smelly invasive species making its way into homes.

According to Gloria Elizabeth Guevara Cano, a biologist, entomologist, expert in social and aquatic insects and environmental education, there are approximately five to ten million species of insects. The trend seems to be accelerating in the north, as Naboo says climate change is causing several species to expand their presence there.

One insect whose presence has increased is the stink bug, also known as the marmorated stink bug, which is characterized by a flat, oval body and emits a foul odor when it feels threatened. “As soon as the temperature drops, stink bugs begin to look for warmer places.” says Manfred Hartbauer, a biologist at the University of Graz.

According to this expert, the insects that we observe on these dates are those whose task is to hibernate, to survive the winter, since “In the spring, when the temperature rises, insects “wake up” and lay eggs. Then they die”says Hartbauer.

Moreover, they not only infect homes, but are also pests of agricultural plants. “This year the damage to Styrian agriculture was not as great as last year.” says the biologist, although he emphasizes that they can cause great harm to agriculture. “If an insect, for example, sucks on a pear, the fruit becomes deformed and starts to stink,” says Hartbauer. To solve this problem, farmers use pheromone traps, although they criticize their high price.

Tips for eliminating bed bugs

There are several tips on how to eradicate the appearance of these animals. The easiest way is to place a glass or jar on the insect, placing a sheet of paper under it so that it does not run away and you can take it outside.

You should never vacuum them with a vacuum cleaner because may kill the animal and cause a strong odor which may remain on the device. Flushing them down the toilet is also not recommended since they are good swimmers. “Marbled stink bugs can also survive flooding,” Hartbauer notes.

That’s why, The best way to avoid its presence is to prevent it.. There are both chemical and home remedies for this. One of them is mixing 120 ml of vinegar, 240 ml of water and 60 ml of detergent.

All you have to do is spray the mixture on the windows and door frames through which bed bugs enter. Michael Raupa, a beetle expert at the State Zoological Collection in Munich, advises installing mosquito nets on windows and doors. “so that animals do not have the opportunity to enter the apartment at all.”

Robots and drones as a solution

Scientists are developing new systems to combat this problem, using a drone equipped with a speaker, whose sound waves cause insects to fall from trees. The system includes a robot that collects and destroys bed bugs from the ground using a tarp.

“We have already tested the system in the laboratory, but unfortunately there were too few errors for field testing this summer.”says Hartbauer, emphasizing that a new control system for home use is also being studied, although he does not reveal details.

Another problem, as already explained, is that lack of enemies that this species has because “the insects themselves are not edible for birds and other possible predators due to their smelly secretions. Parasites can target stink bug eggs,” Hartbauer finally clarifies.