Here in Illinois we are going into our second year of a stink bug infestation. Over the fall they were overtaking many people’s homes. We had them crawling on the walls, windows and ceilings. They were flying around and then resting on everything from the floors to the ceilings. One night my son pulled back his curtain and there were literally over 30 of them clinging to the back. It was disgusting and disturbing. They can’t hurt you(thank goodness) but they are called “stink” bugs for a good reason. Once disturbed they emit a terrible smell that lingers. (So don’t squash them!) I had to pick them off the curtains one by one, wrap them in toilet paper and flush them fast so that my son’s room would’t stink.
I have already seen a few now that we are having a few warmer days here and there so I am planning on being prepared for when they start to invade our home again. Here is what we need to do:
How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs
ONE. If you can find eggs, get rid of them. Stink bugs lay eggs outside not inside. This is good news on one hand, although they can easily make their way inside your home. The eggs are laid along the bottom of plants and under leaves. They are quite small, light colored and clustered together in groups. If you find them, get rid of them!
And do you need a reminder of why it is good to wash your fruits and vegetables? Here you go!
TWO. Stock up on strong smelling dryer sheets. Many articles say that rubbing strong smelling dryer sheets on window sills and screens can deter stink bugs. I plan on folding some, securing them with a paperclip and stashing them in my window sills just to make doubly sure that the stink bugs stay away!
THREE. Set a Trap. I looked for some good products that will get rid of stink bugs but they were very poorly rated on amazon as far as efficiency but don’t worry because according to sources at Virginia Tech, the homemade trap works better than commercial ones. And like most DIYs, it is cheap and easy to make. Here is a video that shows how to make one. And here is what you will need:
- A large, disposable, aluminum foil roasting pan.
- Water.
- Dish soap.
- A light to attract bugs.
Use roughly 2 teaspoons of dish soap to a half gallon of water.
I want to mention that there are some highly rated stink bug sprays on amazon and I am certain that you should be able to find these at your local garden center.
FOUR. Trap them with a damp towel. The experts at bioadvanced.com had a great strategy that I might also try. (I will go to the second hand stores to get some cheap towels to use so I don’t buggify and defile our home towels.) Their advice is to “Hang a damp towel over a lawn chair or deck railing overnight. In the morning, Stink Bugs will blanket the towel. Dispatch bugs in a bucket of soapy water.“
Remember, DO NOT vacuum them up unless you plan to deal with the smell and are able to throw the bag out right away. If you have a ton of them in one place, using a vacuum might be worth it, but it is going to smell! Also, DO NOT squash them ot they will smell. Do not agitate them or they will smell. Like I said, I work fast with folded toilet paper and then race to flush them to avoid the stench.
Good luck with tempering the stink bugs this year. If you are not interested in the DIY techniques and need a professional in the NY area, contact Terminix New York for professional pest control.
Here is a link to an article by Kevin Ambrose who has written many informative and in depth articles about stink bugs.
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