BAKU, Azerbaijan - Residents in northern and northwestern Azerbaijan say large numbers of brown marmorated stink bugs are entering homes as temperatures fall and the agricultural pest searches for warm places to overwinter.
Complaints have come from villages in the Guba and Khachmaz districts, including Yalama, Nabran, Khuray and Seyidli, as well as Mughanli and nearby communities in the Zagatala district, according to Vesti Baku.
Residents said the insects were clustering on walls, entering through windows and doors, getting into food and releasing a strong odor. One Khachmaz resident said he was collecting three or four buckets of bugs from his home each day.
The problem is especially severe near forests and hazelnut orchards. In autumn, the insects move from plants into buildings, hiding in gaps around windows and doors, attics and outbuildings.
The brown marmorated stink bug feeds on more than 300 plant species and can damage fruit, vegetables and hazelnuts, reducing both crop yields and quality.
Azerbaijan’s Agrarian Services Agency said control measures were continuing in the Guba, Gusar and Khachmaz districts. In Khachmaz, treatment covered 8.3 hectares across 13 infestation sites in six villages, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
Plant Protection and Fumigation Center specialists said homes require a different approach from orchards. During the overwintering period, they recommend mechanically collecting and destroying the insects rather than conducting mass chemical treatment in residential areas.
In Zagatala, specialists suggested using artificial shelters such as cardboard boxes containing fabric, where the insects can gather before being destroyed. Chemical treatment, when needed, should be carried out by trained specialists in suitable outdoor locations.
Residents were advised to inspect attics, outbuildings and cracks and to seal gaps around windows and doors. The insects do not sting people; their odor is a defensive response. Specialists cautioned against applying pesticides inside homes without professional guidance.
A report from Mughanli said the bugs were particularly active in villages near forests and hazelnut plantations, Milli.Az reported.