Stink Bugs and How to Get Rid of Them
In the event that stink bugs have taken up residence inside your outer walls, it’s time to roll up the welcome mat by following these recommendations for eradicating an infestation and preventing the animals from invading in the future.
Stop! Instead of swatting a bug with a magazine when it comes into your house, think carefully before doing so.
Any action that causes the shield-shaped, dime-sized stink insect to get agitated will result in the release of its noxious stench, which serves to attract even more stink bugs.
Certainly, it sounds like something out of a poor horror film, but it is far from being a work of fiction. After arriving in the United States in the mid-1990s, stink bugs, which are native to Asia, have thrived. They have evolved into a particularly nasty home pest, especially in the Midwest and along the Eastern Seaboard.
Stink Bugs and How to Get Rid of Them
Keep Stink Bugs out of your home by following these steps.
During colder weather, stink bugs want a warm area to reside in order to remain active. They enter a house in order to do so. A residence will not be visited if it is difficult for people to go inside it. In order to attract other stink bugs, they emit pheromones after they have found a suitable location to call home.
What Causes Stink Bugs to Enter the Home?
Stink bugs reproduce and eat outside for the most of the year, but as the temperatures drop in the autumn, they and other pests seek for a warm place to hibernate for the winter. Stink bugs, which enter the home via holes and fractures on the outside, like to hide in the dark, confined spaces of the house—for example, beneath baseboards.
Because they hibernate over the winter, it’s conceivable that you probably wouldn’t even notice an infestation until the seasons change and the bugs start looking for a way back outside to reproduce. As a result of an exceptionally warm day mistaking for the coming of spring, it is not uncommon for stink bugs to emerge sooner than usual.
Stink bug-attracting items in your home include:
They don’t enter a residence just because it has a large number of people to irritate; they enter for a variety of other reasons. They are attempting to live, and the warmth, moisture, and food that may be found within a house are essential to their success.
When it comes to exterior elements that are appealing to bugs during the warmer months, homes with these characteristics are more vulnerable to an invasion since the stink bugs are already present in the neighborhood. Huge gardens filled with attractive plants and fruit trees serve as the ideal banquet for them.
- Stink bugs are drawn to homes with beautiful gardens.
- When it’s dark outside, stink bugs are drawn to light and reflecting surfaces.
- stink bugs are drawn to areas with high levels of moisture.
- Stink bugs are attracted to food, particularly fruit.
- The aroma of one stink bug attracts the odour of another.
- Keep all openings closed off.
Perhaps the most effective method of dealing with stink bugs is to prevent them from getting into your house in the first place!
Make an effort to identify and seal any small cracks or openings through which they may be able to pass. Take extra care around windows and doors; caulk or weatherstripping should be used to seal any gaps or cracks that may have occurred.
Repair whatever damage you find on the siding or foundation, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you. The next step is to examine the area surrounding utility pipes as well as behind chimneys and under the roof overhang. Suffice to say, stink bugs may be found everywhere outside air or moisture can enter the house. As a result, take the appropriate action:
Insecticides are not necessary to get rid of stink bugs.
Clearly, there are strong reasons to reinforce the outside of your house, but if you already have stink bugs in your home, you may want to deal with them immediately.
Even though there are a variety of approaches that may be used to effectively combat a stink bug infestation, natural solutions can be used to achieve success in the long run.
Using a vacuum, detergent, nicotine, and electricity, it is simple to get rid of these pests. But the most crucial component of any eradication approach is to avoid squeezing the stink bug as much as possible. Smelly stink bugs will be drawn to the area because of the unpleasant stench that will be released.
The good news is that any of the ways listed below can effectively eliminate stink bugs without leaving a foul smell behind.
1. Use a vacuum to collect stink bugs.
Vacuuming is the most successful technique of eradicating stink bugs, even if there are a huge number of them for the ordinary household. However, there is a snag. You must then handle the vacuum bag with extreme caution.
Keep it firmly closed and dispose of it at a safe distance from your house as soon as you can after closing it up. If you don’t, you’re setting yourself up for failure. This is also not the solution for you if you have a bagless vacuum—unless, of course, you are prepared to throw away the now-smelly vacuum along with the rubbish.
2. Soak them in dishwashing liquid.
Using a spray bottle, combine equal parts liquid detergent and water. Spray any stink bugs you come across with this mixture (or any spots where you suspect that they are hiding). Another alternative is to place the detergent-and-water solution in a small, open container and, using a craft stick or a gloved hand, knock or drop the stink bugs into the liquid to eliminate them. The key here is to work swiftly, but not so quickly that the bugs have time to generate their distinctive odor.
Preparing a nicotine solution is the third step to take.
Finally, you may be thankful that there is a smoker in the home! Dissolve shredded cigarettes or butts in a large amount of warm water (for every gallon of water, use around 20 cigarettes’ worth of tobacco). Strain the liquid in the morning after it has soaked overnight to remove any remaining particles.
Pour the remaining liquid through a strainer and into a spray bottle, adding about 2 teaspoons of dish detergent. With this spray, you can eliminate stink bugs in seconds. When handling the solution, it is recommended that you use rubber gloves.
4. Suspend an electric insect zapper from a tree or other structure.
If you keep your insect zapper in a windowless attic or another dark place in your house, it may do wonders for attracting and eliminating stink bugs in your home. There is no leftover odor to be concerned about or endure since the insects die immediately upon contact with the electrical discharge.
To ensure the unit’s continued effectiveness, remember to clean the insect zapper once every few days. When dealing with a lesser infestation, you may be able to get away with cleaning the zapper on a more regular basis.
5.A Stink Bug Infestation Should Be Handled by a Professional When
Stink bug infestations may be difficult to eradicate, but any of the approaches outlined above can be effective if you’re dealing with a small, controllable infestation. It’s important to remember, however, that some homes have reported stink bug infestations that number in the hundreds or thousands, depending on who you ask.
Do not hesitate to seek the assistance of a qualified pest control specialist in such serious circumstances as these. Your infestation may be brought to an end by a qualified, licensed exterminator, who will also provide you advise on how to avoid such issues in the future.
Get Rid of Stink Bugs: Frequently Asked Questions
It is possible to eliminate stink bugs from a house without causing them to release their foul odor. Despite the fact that there are several methods for getting rid of stink bugs, there are also numerous doubts concerning the most effective method of doing so. Listed here are the answers to some of the most often asked questions on how to get rid of stink bugs, to make things simpler.
To get rid of stink bugs, do you need the services of an exterminator?
To get rid of stink bugs, you do not necessarily need to call an exterminator. In addition to employing a vacuum, detergent, nicotine, and electricity, there are other natural and do it yourself solutions that may be successful.
QUESTION:
What deters stink bugs from returning for good?
In order to prevent stink bugs from invading your home, make sure that your house is adequately sealed. The perimeter and openings should be checked once a year, and any sealant or weatherstripping should be applied if necessary.
When you destroy stink bugs, do they come back even more.
Stink insect deaths might result in the breeding of additional stink bugs. Stink bugs exude an unpleasant aroma when attacked or squished, which attracts other stink bugs to the area.
In order to learn how to kill stink bugs or how to get rid of stink bugs without using insecticides, you should read the part above titled “How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs Without Insecticides,” which contains helpful information.
Q. Is it okay if I flush them down the toilet? A.
Yes, a stink bug can be flushed down the toilet with a little effort. By flushing the insect, you will reduce the likelihood of it producing the offensive odor..
When it comes to getting rid of stink bugs, what is the most expedient method?
Stink bugs may be removed most effectively and efficiently by vacuuming them up and throwing them away. Make certain, though, that you’re using a vacuum with a bag so that you can swiftly dispose of the bag along with the stink bugs.
