That’s Rough: The Stinkbug is a BMSB

Wednesday’s spike in temperature began the process of bringing the invertebrates back into action. Earlier in the day, I spotted my first butterfly. Later, back in the home office, I noticed this little armored critter on an inside window. I thought at first it was one of the rough stink bugs of the genus Brochymena. The exoskeleton, after all, is very pitted-looking. But alas, no. Further research revealed it was the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halyomorpha halys, a serious agricultural pest that has spread around since inadvertent introduction in the late 1990s. Which is unfortunate, since I shooed it outside. These tend to overwinter inside our homes and other buildings, while the native Brochymena go for leaf-litter. I’m told they really are stinky when smooooshed.