Cooler weather is here, and stink bugs are looking for a warm place to hunker down for the winter. Maybe you haven’t thought much about these insects, but they migrate to warm places just like other pests. Your house provides everything they need to stay cozy until next spring.
The name “stink bug” is extremely accurate. They have a smelly reputation for good reason, as they secrete a foul-smelling, bad-tasting fluid when disturbed or crushed. While stink bugs are not known to bite bite humans, a whiff of their secretions will make you wish you hadn’t messed with them!
If stink bugs live near your place (perhaps in your garden), chances are good they’ll come your way. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) encourages precautionary measures to prevent a winter infestation.
These include:
- Caulking your windows
- Installing weather strips at each entry door
- Removing vegetation and debris near your home’s foundation
- Closing outside entry points, including fireplaces and bathroom windows
- Making sure crawl spaces are sealed with no contact to the outside- Repairing exterior cracks in your walls
- Installing screen windows and doors and regularly check for tears in the screens.
- Seal gaps around pipes using caulk or steel wool (this will also prevent mice from coming inside)
If stink bugs do come inside your home, you must be cautious when removing them. Do not crush or make them angry or you’ll have a stinky mess on your hands! Vacuuming is a reliable method for capturing them; surprisingly, this works both inside and outside.
Soapy traps are also an effective, natural way of capture. The process is simple:
- Fill a metal pan with soapy water
- Place it under a light source
- Find the areas with the highest concentration of bugs, and
- Watch them flock to the trap
Once you’ve cleared the building, it’s important to keep them from returning. Fortunately, they don’t reproduce indoors, so you mainly need to be concerned about keeping them out.
If your house has become a haven for stink bugs…or any other over-wintering pest…protect your investment! Call or text us at 405-679-8729! We’re ready and able to help keep your house free from insects and rodents during cold-weather months
