Still finding stink bugs in your home? 5 must-know tips to keeping the pests away
Even though it’s the height of winter in the Pacific Northwest, you may have noticed brown marmorated stink bugs popping up around your home. They are often found near light sources, around window frames and doors and sometimes catch a ride inside on a jacket or bag. In other words, they are everywhere.
Stink bugs are an invasive species that is typically cyclical, so you see more of them in some years. But for the past couple of years, the pests have been showing up in droves at homes Thurston, Pierce and King counties, even lasting through the winter.
“Certain years you’re going to have more of these than you are in other years,” said Kevin Peterson, an operations manager with Cascade Pest Control, in a previous interview with McClatchy.
Peterson said stink bugs are more sensitive to temperature change than humans. When it gets cold outside and people turn the heat up, the temperature increase confuses the bugs hiding in an attic or confined space and they may move to a more visible area
Another reason you may be seeing stink bugs more often than before is entirely due to chance. Your house just may be one of the random locations that the bugs chose to inhabit during winter.
“It’s just their normal process of looking for places where they might be able to shelter through the winter and to continue in the next season,” Peterson said.
Here are five essential tips to deal with stink bugs in your home.
Don’t crush or vacuum live stink bugs
Stink bugs excrete an odorous, brown body fluid when they are threatened. Squashing or crushing them can cause staining on walls, floors or fabric. Worse, the odor can attract other stink bugs.
If you find dead stink bugs in corners when sweeping or vacuuming, you can clean them up and throw them away in a sealed bag. But avoid vacuuming live stink bugs. Not only might they attract other bugs, but they could escape from the bag.
You can either catch and release the bugs in a jar with a lid, or fill the jar with soapy water and drown them and throw the remains out.
To catch and release bugs outside unharmed, Zunex Pest Control recommends making your own trap using a soda bottle and LED light. The makeshift device will attract stink bugs and trap them inside for you to release later.
Keep lights off and heat down
Stink bugs are attracted to light and heat, so when it’s cold and dark outside they are naturally drawn to human dwellings that are heated and lit up.
Try to keep any lights off in an area where you notice stink bugs popping up, and your heat down a little lower if you notice them in your home. You can also try yellow bulbs, which are less attractive to the insects.
Pull down shades over windows in your home that reflect a lot of light. Start at ones on the northwest and southwest regions of your home.
Don’t let your pets eat them
Most people with a cat or dog will notice that their pet is the most efficient stink bug detector, in part due to their excellent sense of smell. If you notice your cat or dog staring intently at some point on the floor, wall or somewhere else in your home, it might be a stink bug.
Don’t let your pet eat the pest, as it will likely release it’s odor-filled excretion in your pet’s mouth or stomach. Instead, praise your cat or dog for alerting you to the stink bug’s presence, and then drown it or get it out of your home.
Keep your home clean
As with most pests, stink bugs will have an easier time surviving and bringing their friends over if your home isn’t clean. Sweep or vacuum, dust in corners and window frames, and clean regularly.
Don’t leave rotting fruit or dirty dishes on the counter, and be sure to clean under your bed and couch. In your bedroom, make sure to keep clothing put away in a closed closet or dresser. Don’t leave piles of clothing laying around.
Identify possible entry points
Stink bugs are notorious for being able to get inside a human structure through the tiniest crack or crevice. Take a look around the inside of your house and check for things like vented fans with outdoor access, window screens with holes. Cover or repair the holes or openings to keep the bugs out.
If you notice a spot where you think they are gaining easy entry, you can spray or use essential oils like mint, according to website The Pest Rangers. Stink bugs and other insects hate the aroma, which isn’t poisonous.
This story was originally published January 27, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Still finding stink bugs in your home? 5 must-know tips to keeping the pests away."
