What’s That Smell?

With this week’s—heck, this month’s— Cranberry area residents have noticed a distinct smell in the air.

And no, we’re not talking about the fresh scent of spring.

Readers have detected a fishy smell to the air similar to standing water or an ocean marsh. On the Cranberry Patch Facebook page, Tamra Thorne commented she could smell it near the on Route 19. Reader Shelle Jamieson caught a whiff of it in the parking lot at and on Route 228 whilesniffed it out on Old Mars Crider Road in Seven Fields.

The smell isn’t limited to the Cranberry area, either. Our Patch colleagues from around the Pittsburgh region have reported pockets of stench from Verona to Wilkins Township.

So what is the mystery smell?

According to the folks at flowering White Bradford Pear trees are to blame. The ornamental trees feature clusters of lush white flowers, that unfortunately—when in bloom— smell like last night’s fish dinner.

Gretchen Moran, executive secretary for Cranberry Township, said the warmer the temperatures, the more the trees stink. Have we mentioned temperatures have hovered near 80 degrees all week?

The pear trees are known for being ideal street trees because of their resistance to cold, disease, drought and car fumes. The, um, fragrant flowering trees can be found all over the township right now, including the parking lot of the Cranberry Commons shopping plaza.

Pee-yew!

What about you? Have you noticed a fishy scent in the air? Did you know it was coming from the blossoming pear trees? Or, like editor Jessica Sinichak, did you initially blame it on the manure being spread at area farms right now? Share your spring scent stories in the comment section below.