When the temperature starts to drop, we may notice more critters in our home. Stink bugs also find their way to invade homes. They are the most annoying pests that can get us in trouble. During the fall season, stink bugs like to congregate in large numbers. We can identify them by their large size and marbled pattern on the back. These bugs are known for their pungent smell. They are herbivores and do not cause any harm to human beings. Although they don’t bite, they can become a mayhem for us. They feed on nuts, seeds, fruits, and plants. If you have a fruit garden at home, they can cause harm to it. Therefore, different people want to know how to get rid of stink bugs. Let’s begin with the ways.
Full-Proof Strategies to Get Rid of Stink Bugs
Just like other pests, like termites and ants, they enter your home structure in large numbers. These bugs carry foul smells and seek shelter in their homes in the colder seasons. As soon as we notice their presence, we must eliminate them as early as possible. Let’s list the significant ways to get rid of these stink bugs.
1) Seal the Entry Points
As we know, these bugs flock in large numbers; therefore, we should seal the entryways ASAP to keep their presence at bay. Stink bugs can enter your house through cracks in windows and doors. Consequently, you must ensure that your doors and windows are properly caulked and weather-stripped. Use foam sealants to seal other openings that attract these stink bugs, such as cracks, crevices, and gaps around utility boxes, windows, screens, and vents.
2) Maintain Proper Landscaping
Unmaintained vegetation, flora, and fauna attract stink bugs. Therefore, to prevent the infestation of stink bugs, you should maintain a proper landscape. You should mow your lawns regularly to avoid the flocking of stink bugs. Ensure that the branches and shrubberies are well-trimmed. Also, keep the grounds clean by removing debris and vegetation. It will deter these bugs from arriving on your lawns. Ensure you inspect your plants for signs of stink bug infestation, such as leaf damage and egg clusters.
3) Turn off the lights
Like many other bugs, stink bugs also get attracted to bright lights. At night, the exterior lighting in our home tempts hese bugs, and they invade our homes. White and yellow light attract these bugs. Apart from this, they are also attracted to blue and UV-black rays. Therefore, we should turn off the lights at night, especially exterior lights. Ensure that porch lights and window blinds are shut.
4) Keep Food Sources away from them
Another effective method regarding how to get rid of stink bugs is to remove access to food from their reach. They are attracted to ripe fruits. If mature fruits are in your home or garden, keep them far from the reach of these stink bugs. Apart from this, don’t leave any traces of crumbs open. Ensure that the food is stored in airtight containers. Make sure to dispose off left-over food in sealed trash cans.
5) Inspect Ceiling, Crawl Spaces, and Attics
These stink bugs often hide in ceilings, crawl spaces, and attics. Therefore, you should inspect these places in early fall or late summer to weed out these insects.
6) Eliminate Moisture
Diverse sources of moisture, such as drainage ponds, sprinklers, pipes, or hoses that leak, are the chief water sources. As stink bugs love moist places, they flock around these wet places. So, minimize the moisture in your home or even near your home to deter these pests.
7) Use a vacuum cleaner
You see many stink bugs in your home and often search for ways to get rid of them. Using a vacuum cleaner with bags will help you dispose of them. This is extremely helpful when the stink bugs have arrived at your home. Once you dispose of these stink bugs, immediately filter your vacuum and empty the bag. It will save your home from a foul smell. Also, dispose of these stink bugs at a distance from your home.
8) Spray Garlic
Another way to get rid of stink bugs is to spray garlic on doorways, window sills, and other entryways. Because stink bugs hate the smell of garlic, you can easily deter their presence by using garlic spray. You can also prepare a DIY garlic spray by mixing two cups of water and four teaspoons of garlic powder.
9) Ensure Proper ventilation
Because moist places attract these stink bugs, you should ensure proper ventilation in your home. It will help reduce moisture and humidity in your home. Ensure you enhance air circulation in your home by using fans and moving your furniture. You can also use a dehumidifier to control the moisture. Fix the leaks and seepages from time to time. This will help retain moisture in your home and deter stink bugs from making a space there.
10) Pest Control Methods
If the above methods do not yield adequate results, you can use professional pest control methods to curb these stink bugs. These exterminators will use insecticides and other professionals specifically designed to catch the stink bugs.
Conclusion
We have listed all the methods to get rid of stink bugs. If these DIY methods do not work as you need, you can hire professional pest control service providers to make your home completely free of these stink bugs. Stink bugs might seem like small insects, but their presence can hurt the vegetation and ecosystem. Therefore, their prevention is the key to letting your home and garden stay free of these insects.
FAQ
1) Which smell keeps the stink bugs away?
The smell of garlic keeps the stink bugs away from your home. So, to deter their presence, prepare a solution of garlic paste with water and keep it on the entryways. Apart from these, scents of pure clove oil, lemon grass oil, and spearmint oil keep them away.
2) What should we do if we see these stink bugs in our home?
If we see these stink bugs in our home, we should avoid touching or squashing them. Instead, we should use a vacuum cleaner with bags to dispose of them.
3) What are some methods to keep the stink bugs away from your home?
You can keep these stink bugs away from your home in various ways. You should not leave leftover foods in the open, seal off the entry points to deter their presence, eliminate moisture content, and turn off the lights.
Hi, This is Bharat Divya, a post-graduate in English. Found a natural flair for writing from the very beginning. Divya loved giving voice to the natural inclination towards writing. Joined the content writing industry and explored her passion in diverse ways. Her passion for weaving thoughts into words is innate and gives wings to her imagination. She loves to pen down writing in different niches like fashion, beauty, food, celebrity lifestyles, and many more.
