Stink Bug Introduction
Ever since stink bugs came to North America from Asia, they have been a nuisance pest homeowners deal with every fall. Once cooler weather arrives, and the nighttime temperatures drop, these annoying pests start flocking to the outside of homes looking for anyway to get inside your warm home for the winter. While stink bugs are not harmful to humans or pests, they are herbivores and will wreck havoc on gardens and plants. Once they are inside your home; however, its too late and the only option is to kill them. Lets learn how to keep stink bugs out of our homes this fall!
How Stink Bugs Invade Homes in the Fall
Stink bugs will get into your home in the fall from any crack, crevice, gap, or hole on your home. Roofs, foundations, and windows and doors are the most common entry points. These nuisance pests are looking to “over-winter” in your home because they want to stay warm. That is why stink bugs are attracted to your home. Also, stink bugs gather in agriculture fields, orchards, and large gardens (aka rural areas). So if your home is located to any of these rural areas, your home is a target for stink bug infestations.
Tips and Tricks for Avoiding Stink Bug Infestations This Fall
- Caulk windows inside and out.
- Preventative exterior pest control treatment, specifically windows and doors, ideally coupled with a pest control plan.
- Replace broken or torn window screens.
- Weather strip entry doors or install door sweeps.
- Clear debris and vegetation from your home's foundation.
- Inspect and seal foundation cracks.
- Secure crawlspace entries.
- Insulate exposed plumbing pipes around the foundation or crawlspace.
- Cap or screen the top of the chimney if you have a fireplace.
Dealing with Stink Bugs Inside Your Home
Once stink bugs are inside your home, its too late. The only thing to do is kill them and remove them. That is why the best way to control stink bugs is with preventative methods. Once inside your home, the best way to deal with stink bugs is to vacuum them up and then toss them out in the trash.
Best Way to Protect Against Stink Bugs
While stink bugs will habitually be a nuisance pest when the weather cools, home owners that want to minimize or eliminate stink bugs in their home need to make the proper preparations. Sealing up the home and making sure all doors, windows, and window screens are in good working order is the best DIY way a home owner can protect against stink bugs. The best way to protect against stink bugs is to call a professional pest control company that can provide preventative treatments to control stink bugs. Call the experts at Environmental Pest Control. Our quarterly preventative pest control plan controls against stink bugs and 20+ other pests and rodents year round. We are experts at providing stink bug control and stink bug removal services. We’ll help keep stink bugs out of your home, call us today!
