Autumn. It’s colorful. It’s cool. It’s . . . frightening -- and we’re not talking about Halloween. We’re talking about that creature lurking outside of your door. A creature so terrible, it will scare you more than any horror film. (cue the suspenseful music) It’s the dreaded STINK BUG!!!
Stink bugs have recently become one of the most annoying nuisances to homeowners. Now as the weather cools down, these little critters are searching for their way into your home. They can appear in nearly every room of your house and cause a horrible smell. How can you effectively deal with stink bugs once they have invaded your home? Here are a few tips:
1) START OUTSIDE.
The first step in preventing stink bugs from entering your home is to stop them before they reach your door. Autumn is the time of year when females begin laying their eggs -- which can be in clusters of 30 to 100 eggs. You can prevent the laying of eggs by trimming back any dead plants and removing any debris -- especially fruit and vegetable plants. Also, if any adult stink bugs are found be sure to remove them by knocking them into a container of soapy water to kill them. You can remove a large amount of stink bugs by leaving a damp towel outside over night. The bugs will collect on the towel, which you can drop into soapy water to drown them.
2) CHECK ALL ENTRY POINTS.
Stink bugs like to collect around nearly every entrance of your home. Check door frames and windows for any signs of these nasty insects. The next step is to inspect the caulking around your windows as well as your window screens. Replace any torn or ripped screens on your windows. When fixing any window caulking, remove all broken and ripped pieces before you re-caulk.
3) LOOK OVER YOUR HOME FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
Windows and doors are not the only entry points for stink bugs. Many find their way inside via your attic vents and crawlspaces. You can prevent them from coming inside by installing screens over your outside vents and sealing the duct work around any pipes in your crawlspace. This will secure every possible entrance that stink bugs and other critters may use.
4) KEEP THEM IN THE DARK.
Like many insects, stink bugs are attracted to light. This is one of the reasons they can be found around your front and back doorways where outdoor lights are located. Therefore, a great way to deter them from your home is to keep any outdoor lights off as much as possible.
5) GET RID OF ANY BODIES.
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, there will still be at least a few stink bugs that have found their way past your defenses. The easiest way to get rid of any stink bug that you find in your home is to use a vacuum to suck them up and dispose of them. No matter what, don’t crush or stomp on stink bugs. They will release a foul odor which will attract even more of their friends.
Stink bugs don’t have to be a threat to you and your home any longer. You can stop them in their stinky tracks and decrease their annoying presence in and around your home.
With over 30 years of basement waterproofing experience, Ameri-Dry offers patented, permanently dry systems that are backed by a full lifetime warranty. For more information about Ameri-Dry and Ameri-Dry Guy, visit (
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