Stink Bugs Control and Prevention

Generally, they are brown in color, but different varieties will have some darker bands of color on them and they might have colored depressions on their head. It doesn’t take long for the stink bug to grow from an egg into full adulthood.

The Egg

A female can lay many eggs at one time. They lay them on the underside of a leaf, possibly for camouflage as they are white or pale green in color, then the eggs develop into nymphs after several days.

Nymphs

A nymphs is a smaller version of an adult bug. The stink bug takes about a week to go through 5 more stages of development before they are full adults. During these stages they change color from orange or red to black, then progress to their brownish adult color.

Adults

Adults are ready to reproduce after just two weeks of becoming an adult, and live for six to eight months, which is a long time to fill the earth with more stink bugs.

Do They Really Smell?

What do you first do when you hear about stink bugs? I want to plug my nose. The truth is stink bugs will emit an odor if you frighten, injure or squash them. This is why they are hard to control as their scent makes them unappetizing to predators.

Are They Harmful?

Stink bugs pose no risk to humans, but are considered to be nuisance pest and some people may be sensitive to their odor. They get into our houses through small openings and can hibernate inside throughout the cold winter months.

When it starts warming up in spring they will come out of hibernation to forage on fruits, vegetables, and some ornamental plants.

Stink Bug Control and Prevention

If you have had a problem with stink bugs getting into your home, one way to keep them out is to seal gaps in doorways and crawlspaces and make sure window screens don’t have holes. If you get an influx of them one year, it’s likely to reoccur the next year.

Vacuuming

If stink bugs have invaded your house, you might want to think twice before using the vacuum as the vacuum can harbor odors for some time. But if you do do it yourself, use a shop vac, dump it immediately into a bag and tie it tight. Use a vacuum bag for the shop vac if you can.

Glue Boards and Fly Traps

Place a fly trap or glue board next to the area you believe the stink bugs are entering the house. As they enter, they will get stuck and eventually die. The big problem with this method is they can very likely release the stink.

Outdoor Garden Control

For garden control, check your local home improvement or garden store and see if they a product for you to use. If you have pets, ask if it’s safe for pets.

As well as using something to control the adult stink bugs, find the leaves with the stink bug eggs, gently remove the leaf and put it in a bucket with a 50/50 mix of water and bleach. Leave the eggs in the mix for a while then drain the water and dump the leaves and eggs in a trash bag and tie it and toss it.

Since they are difficult to control, you may have to use a professional pest control company to rid your home of these pests.