"How Do You Get Rid Of Stink Bugs?" Everyone's Asking!

This is getting to be one of the most frequently asked questions I hear, "How do you get rid of Stink Bugs?" It seems that more and more people are typing into Google things like "Stink Bugs Pennsylvania, or "Stink Bugs Maryland" or Virginia or New Jersey. This clearly tells us that these pests are becoming more and more widespread in the Northeastern part of the country. So I decided to provide you with some stink bug facts that will help you to understand a bit about them, as well as some effective ways to kill Stink Bugs if you so desire.　　
Fact #1 Stink Bugs do NOT bite people
Fact #2 Stink Bugs dislike excessive heat and cold
Fact #3 Stink Bugs feed mainly on fruits and vegetables
Fact #4 Stink Bugs hibernate in the winter
Fact #5 Stink Bugs CAN be controlledContrary to popular belief, Stink Bugs don't bite people. This is a myth. They do have little barbs on their feet which they use to hang on to things - which could be misinterpreted as a bite if you felt it on your arm. But they don't actually bite.

Stink Bugs dislike being in the direct sunlight. This is why you'll often find them hiding under structures like decks, porches, railings and in your house. They also hate cold temperatures. Again the reason why you see them inside your house.

A Stink Bug will feed exclusively on vegetable plants or fruit trees. They have been known to do extensive crop damage as a result.  Because they hibernate in the winter, they look for a nice warm place to do so. That explains why you find them in you house.

Now how do you get rid of Stink Bugs? The truth is you will never get rid of all of them. The best you can hope for is to control them. To control Stink Bugs the optimum course of action is to seal off all the holes, cracks and crevices you can find. Treat the shady areas where they like to gather with a pesticide. Keep food plants at a distance from the house. And make sure that all of your windows, screens and doors fit properly.

If and when you do find the occasional Stink Bug inside your house, simply use a vacuum cleaner to pick it up, or pick it up with a Kleenex and put it in a sealed container.  Then there's the ever-popular "flush it down the commode technique" which works great!  It is advisable not to crush it because this causes it to release that stinky chemical, which in turn attracts more Stink Bugs to the area.
　

Effective Stink Bug Management

Once the seasons start to warm up, so do our insect "friends".  Although many
don't survive the cold winters of the North, it seems like a ton of them do.  And
not the least among them, is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug - a.k.a. the Brown
Stink Bug, or just plain Stink Bug.  Everybody wants to know how to get rid of
stink bugs but that's not likely to happen… and there is no magic bullet out there
to do it with.  So the best we can do is to manage them like every other little creepy-crawler
out there.  So, how do we do it?

Let's start with some methods which provide longer lasting benefits.  The first way
to manage stink bugs is with pesticides.  Although you certainly can hire a pest
control company to come out and spray your house, it is also something that you
can do for yourself (much more economically) with a common garden sprayer.

A few very effective pesticides which can be used in the sprayer are Conquer,
Tempo, or Cyfluthrin. They actually cost less than the price of just 1 visit by an
exterminator, and an average bottle can last a couple of years.  Very economical.
I'll let you in on a little secret here, these are the same chemicals that the pros use! 
To order some Conquer pesticide, click on the link under "An Excellent Product"
in the sidebar ----------------->.

Another long term method of controlling stink bugs is by using some NBS
Paint/Stain Additive.  This is NOT a pesticide - it contains oils from plants which
stink bugs (and other bugs) naturally dislike.  All kinds of bugs just hate this stuff! 
If you're planning on painting your house or staining your deck, simply mix some
NBS into the product and apply as usual.  One application of paint or stain with
NBS mixed in can provide positive results for up to 2 years. It is available through
http://www.no-toxic-pest-contro.com/, or by calling 1-800-877-7290. 

The last important thing you should do to get rid of stink bugs is to seal off all potential
points of entry into your house.  Remember, a stink bug is pretty small.  It doesn't take a
very big opening for them to get in.  If you don't find the openings first - the stink
bugs will!  Get some caulking and go to it!  But don't stop there, you'll also want
to make sure that your windows, doors and screens all fit properly. 

How To Get Rid Of Stink Bugs

Since it does appear that Stink Bugs aren't likely to go away, the $64 question
everybody's typing into the search engines is "how to get rid of stink bugs".  Let's
start by defining "get rid of".  If you think you're going to eliminate stink bugs
altogether, you're in for a big disappointment.  It would be like trying to get rid of
any other insect on the planet.  It's simply not doable.  It's impractical, and
potentially dangerous to humans and wild life alike.

So where does that leave us?  The next best thing is to learn how to control Stink
Bugs.  Now this is doable, practical and need not be potentially harmful to you or
any of the more desirable creatures around us.  Here is one viable option.

We can never prevent stink bugs from buzzing around outside, but we can
discourage them from congregating on the outside walls of our houses and/or
buildings.  One alternative is to hire a professional pest control company to come
out and spray the outside walls of your structure.

There is one word of caution though about this technique, and that is that pesticides
can sometimes stain siding, expecially vinyl.  If you have a spare piece of siding
somewhere, I recommend having them test their chemical on it before applying
it to your house.

If no staining occurs on your test piece, then it should be safe to apply the
treatment to your building(s).  This procedure should be followed about every 4-6
weeks throughout the warmer months.  What it does is discourage them from
looking for places to hide from the heat of the sun.  They prefer moderate
temperatures - which is why they love to get inside of our houses.  When it gets
cold out, they'll try to get inside to hibernate for the winter.  Simple really.

There is really no one universal solution for how to get rid of stink bugs.  But the
simple act of sealing off any potential entryways is the ultimate course of action. 
Look around for any places you think a stink bug (or any bug) could get in and
close it off.  If the can't get in, they're forced to stay outside.  And if you have
the outside treated, their only other option is to go somewhere else… like your
neighbors' house!