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FEBRUARY 22 2022 /
In fall, stink bugs love your home for one reason, and one reason alone: warmth.
If they can find a slightly heated nook, they'll be happy to enter a sort of hibernation called diapause, and silently wait for spring.
The problem is, they usually find a nook that is more than slightly heated, and in their mind, they think it is summer again, and start crawling around everywhere.
Now, for the most part, stink bugs are pretty good house guests.
They don't get into your food unless you leave fruit laying about. And, they don't generally make a lot of noise--although that tiny buzz-click sound can get old quickly, especially if you have a dozen or so stink bugs.
But what tends to drive people really crazy, is the dive-bombing.
Stink bugs fly, and they're not very good at it. So you might get hit in the temple, or the neck, on your way to the living room.
Not because the stink bug is mad at you, or anything, just because they are lousy at flying. The worst is getting one in the mouth. If you think they smell bad, you should taste one.
Stink bugs find a warm place to try and live through the winter. Because of this, they will often be found wedged between boards or firewood, and when they manage to wiggle their ways indoors they can be a real nuisance.
They are technically an agricultural pest and can cause devastation to crops both on large-scale operations as well as backyard gardens. But if allowed, they will squeeze their way inside a home at every opportunity, especially in the cold.
Here are a few things you may not know about stink bugs in winter:
⭐ Stink bugs don't hibernate, but it can seem like it.
If your home gets invaded every winter, you might notice that those stink bugs take a break around January and February. This is only because your home doesn't have available food sources for these pests, which forces them into a low-energy state called diapause. In this state, they move slowly or stop altogether in an effort to conserve energy.
⭐ In the "wild," stink bugs hide under bark or inside old logs.
It is imperative for them to find a place where the wind chill can't cause them to freeze and die. Cold temperatures have the same effect as a lack of food sources. Stink bugs slow down or come to a complete stop, as they wait for the cold to pass.
⭐ In your home it is spring all winter long.
If you have slow-moving stink bugs in your curtains, it isn't because of the temperature. It is due to the lack of food sources. But, some homes have plenty of food for those stink bugs to eat. If you've been thinking, "My stink bugs don't slow down or stop!" This is the reason.
⭐ Most of what a stink bug wants to eat cannot be found in your home.
They love things like potato beetles or root weevils. But, they will be happy to feast on any fruit you leave lying around on the counter. This will give them the energy to stay active all winter long.
⭐ If you have a ton of stink bugs, you have some holes in your home that need to be filled.
Have a professional pest controller come and do a detailed inspection. Sometimes these holes can be addressed with physical means like caulking or screens.
⭐ If you only have a few stink bugs here and there, and you're worried that releasing them outside in the winter will only have them coming right back into your home, you needn't worry.
It isn't likely that they will survive long enough to find their way back in. Without the protection of a layer of snow, the winter wind will kill these cold-blooded creatures quickly.
While we’ve eaten crickets and mealworms here in the office, we haven’t quite gotten around to munching on stink bugs.
As a best guess though? Dogs’ noses are incredible, ours sniff out bed bugs when they are so small that it would otherwise be like looking for a sewing needle in a whole hayfield.
If they can smell even a little of the odor that is excreted when stink bugs are squished, we can’t blame them for not eating them. Cicadas are generally bigger than stink bugs and uncoordinated so they probably make for a fun “toy.”
Maryland homeowners commonly panic when they discover brown marmorated stink bugs have managed to get inside of their home. Especially when you discover 20 of them are gathered around your window!
Many people may be inclined to squash as many as they can, but wait, do stink bugs actually stink?
YES! Stink bugs get their name from a foul-smelling substance that they produce from their scent glands.
When stink bugs are startled or crushed they will release an unpleasant odor. This substance is suspected to be used to repel predators, warn other stink bugs, and to attract mates. So don’t squash those stink bugs because that smell will be emitted through the house if you crush them.
So now that you know not to squash them, you're probably wondering how to get rid of stink bugs.
Unfortunately, Do-It-Yourself methods don’t prove to be effective in most cases. The most important factor is locating the entry point and sealing it so stink bugs, as well as any other pests, can’t return.
If you want to remove stink bugs from your home temporarily, consider grabbing them with a tissue and flushing them. Then contact us for help in locating and sealing entry points.
It can be difficult to get rid of stink bugs as they are commonly found inside and outside of homes.
However, American Pest is here for stink bug control and eradication. Our pest professionals will thoroughly inspect your property and create a custom solution to rid you of the foul-smelling pests in the quickest, safest way possible.
Contact us today and get more information about our stink bug reduction services.
Vacuum! Rather than squishing stink bugs that have invaded your home and releasing their odor, vacuuming them up will get them off the ceiling without causing a stink.
Since stink bugs often invade in large numbers as we saw in 2010, vacuuming may be the fastest way to get them out of your house as well.
Just make sure when you empty the vacuum canister or bag to do so in such a way that the bugs don’t just crawl out of your trash can!
Also consider these tips:
⭐ Your screens will need to be inspected and fixed. This is a popular entry point for stink bugs.
⭐ They also like to squeeze in past weather stripping that has slid down, due to gravity.
⭐ Adjust your weather stripping, and examine your door sweeps.
⭐ If you have cracks around your windows, use a caulking gun to seal them up. Don't worry if your windows aren't white, some caulk is paintable. Grab a little of that.
Once you have sealed up the cracks, holes, gaps, and rips, you'll be protected.
But even after this, some people still get stink bugs coming inside. If this is the case for you, have a professional spray your perimeter, or exterior walls. This will deter stink bugs from crawling around on your walls, looking for the entry point you didn't see.
With this combination of defensive measures, you can stop those stink bugs from getting inside. It is as simple is as that.
