why are stink bugs so bad this year

Stink bugs are particularly bad this year mainly due to weather conditions that favor their breeding and survival. Warm and humid weather during the summer allows stink bugs, especially the invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB), to reproduce more rapidly, often producing multiple clutches of eggs in a season. This results in larger populations seeking shelter as temperatures drop in the fall, leading to severe infestations in homes and businesses. Warmer average temperatures and extended seasons also contribute to greater stink bug numbers because they can reproduce more generations per year. Additionally, stink bugs release chemical odors that attract others to suitable winter shelters, compounding the problem in residential areas. Efforts to control them include sealing entry points in homes and using outdoor perimeter treatments at the correct time of year, though indoor pesticide use is often ineffective. Biological control using the parasitic samurai wasp is being studied and naturally occurring in some regions but is not yet widespread enough to significantly reduce populations.