Which Bugs Bring A Nasty Smell?

Insect infestations in the home can often be difficult to detect, especially in their earliest stages. Most pests try hard to stay out of sight, but there are some bugs that leave a distinct calling card—they smell bad. The fact is that several insects give off foul odors. Often, it’s a chemical-based bodily fluid that the insect emits when feeling romantic, aggressive, threatened, or simply as a means of communicating with other insects, animals, and even plants.

Other times, it’s waste from excrement or decaying, deceased bodies. Either way, it’s the last thing you want in your home. So, if you smell something funky around the house, don’t be so quick to blame the dog. It might just be a bug.

Let’s take a look at some of these odiferous offenders commonly found in North Carolina:

Stink Bugs

Stink Bugs release an acrid odor from a gland on their abdomen that has been described as a combination of skunk, cilantro, and ammonia. Although it is said that they spray only when threatened, many people who have experienced stink bug infestations can tell you otherwise. If they are around, you’ll smell them, and the odor tends to cling and linger tenaciously. Smash one, and you’ll probably want to flush that carcass and open a window. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug most commonly plagues homeowners in North Carolina. They don’t bite, but they can damage your houseplants, and they’ve been known to decimate vegetation outside the home. They often find their way into houses in the fall when the weather turns colder because they seek a place to wait out the winter.

Termites

Termites are very often associated with the musty smell of mildew and mold. The odor comes from the termites themselves, often mimicking the odor of decaying, wet wood, which is not surprising since cellulose is primarily what they feed on. These bugs do a lot more than torment your nose. They are one of the most destructive, invasive pests on the planet. They can rapidly destroy the wooden structures of your home if left unchecked. Many species of termites are found here, with the Eastern subterranean and Formosan subterranean doing the most damage.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches give off a distinctly oily, musty, rancidly sweet smell that becomes more and more overpowering as an infestation grows. This foul chemical cocktail is primarily their means of communication, used to alert others where to find food, water, mates, and shelter. But there is another underlying component to that odor: their death smell. When a cockroach dies, its body releases a fatty secretion called oleic acid, which breaks down the decaying body tissue. It’s what adds that “rancidly sweet” smell to the mix. The Tar Heel state is no stranger to cockroach problems, unfortunately. There are several in the state, with the American and the German being the most problematic for homeowners.

Bed Bugs

Bed Bugs are another troublesome pest in the state that is causing a big stink. This reviled little insect feeds on human blood and has been showing up in record numbers lately. They emit a pheromone that people sometimes describe as rotting berries but more often as the pungent odor of coriander. Indeed, this insect was even referred to as the “coriander bug” in bygone eras.

Earwigs

The Earwig is a creepy-looking bug with a spooky reputation. Folklore tells you that the earwig can crawl into your ear and burrow into your brain. On the other hand, scientists tell you that they are no more likely to crawl into your ear than any other insect. However, those same scientists have a different bomb to drop about this creature. National Geographic has described them as a veritable “rotting flesh stink bomb.” Others have described the smell as decidedly like feces. The odor is a defense mechanism to prevent predators from eating them and comes from two sulfur-based compounds, dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide. Earwigs are not particularly destructive, but they do get into homes sometimes. Trod on one, and your nose will let you know you stepped in it.

Ants

Ants are another persistent home invader, and one species, in particular, the Odorous House Ant, is a very common problem for North Carolina homeowners. This sweet-loving, cupboard-sacking little stinker was the subject of a “smell-my-finger” sniff test, which asked people to crush them and then describe the odor. The result: rotting coconut, blue cheese, rancid butter, and Pine-sol.

There are many more insects you may come across that smell bad, including Asian Lady Beetles, Wheel Bugs, Bombardier Beetles, Stink Beetles, and more. But what stinks the most? Having a pest problem within the home. If you have bug problems, stinky or not, contact At Ease Pest Solutions. We are ready to help.