Are Stink Bugs Squatting in Your House for the Winter?

A few days ago while at work, there was this flying insect floating around the front of the office. It looked scary so I thought it was something big and bad. Turns out, it was just a stink bug.

These bugs are pretty much harmless, other than the foul odor they emit when killed, so I didn't want to kill it. After it landed, I searched for it but the bug ended up crawling up the windows so I lost track of it. The next day when I come into work, I notice its body hanging from the ceiling above the window. I thought it was so weird how it was perfectly fine, flying around the day prior and now all of a sudden it's dead. I did some research and found out it actually wasn't dead, so what was it doing?

Turns out, stink bugs hibernate! Well, not exactly hibernate, but something close called diapause. Rescue Pest Control explains the difference between the two:

Diapause is a physiological dormancy in any stage of an insect’s development induced by certain adverse environmental conditions, while hibernation is inactive winter sleep. - Rescue Pest Control, 2017

Apparently this one didn't get the hint to leave since he parked himself right next to the "Exit" sign...

So, what should you do to make sure these little guys don't wake up in your home come springtime? Fortunately, Chrissy from WGNA's Morning Show has a foolproof at-home remedy for getting rid of them! Next time you see a stink bug completely frozen in place, do future you a favor and take care of it before it wakes up.