Are you here searching- ‘how to get rid of stink bugs?’ Stink bugs are so small in size but yet potent enough to make an awful lot of smell.
Especially, in summer and rainy weather they are an uninvited guest who, if entered into your garden or house, can make your surroundings stink with a foul odor and also harm the plants. Oh crap! You just don’t want to see them anymore ruining the aura of your cozy abode or causing foliage to your plants, right?
In this situation, smashing stink bugs might seem like a solution until you know that you’ll just get to smell a more unbearable foul odor if you do so. Yes, you read that right, stink bugs emit a very strong stinky odor when smashed or squished, that pungent smell will make you dazed off. So it’s always better to look for ways on how to get rid of stink bugs. Alright then without any further ado, let’s learn how to make stink bugs go away.
How To Get Rid Of Stink Bugs?
As soon as winters are gone, stink bugs start to show up. So if you’ve started to come across them often, they probably have made an empire somewhere in your home walls or flowerpots. That’s why you must buckle up to show them the door or else you would end up spending heavy amounts on pest control. Here are 11 ways to keep stink bugs at bay:
1. Baking Soda
You must have it on your kitchen shelves, right? If you find stink bugs relaxing on your plants, do not disturb them by moving them with your hands. Quickly go to your kitchen, mix baking soda in water, and spray it on the plants. Do this regularly for a few weeks and your plants will be free from stink bugs.
2. Neem Oil
This is a very good alternative for keeping stink bugs out of the house. You must be wondering how come oil can mix with water. Many horticulturists hold the view that neem oil if diluted in water can not only keep the bugs away but also enhance the plants’ health. So mix 1 to 3 spoons of neem oil in 3.5 liters of water and use it.
In case you’re not convinced with the results, you can mix 1 to 2 spoons of a mild soap detergent (better if eco-friendly) in this mixture and spray it on plants. But remember you must not spray it on the soil, otherwise, it’ll kill the plant.
3. Lavender Oil
Essential oils are not only used in aromatherapy, they are quite effective in dealing with a plethora of other problems like how to get rid of stink bugs.
Lavender oil is a bliss that will give you dual benefits. Firstly, it’ll keep these small but not that adored bugs out of your home. In addition, it will keep your house filled with its pleasant fragrance.
Take a large bowl and pour some lavender oil into it. Then drench cotton balls in the oil and place them at your windows, gates, and entry points. Alternatively, you can dilute 3 to 4 spoons of lavender oil with 1.5 liters of water and spray it in your house daily.
4. Vacuum Cleaner
If you ever see these oval-shaped brownish crawlers on your floor, use a vacuum cleaner (with a garbage bag inside it) to collect them and leave them out of your home boundaries. Could this get any easier? But make sure to have a garbage bag intact in the vacuum before using it otherwise, your cleaner will be gone with a stink.
5. Vinegar Solution
A typical kitchen ingredient that can save your sweet home from stinking is vinegar. Mix 2 spoonfuls of vinegar and 1 spoonful of liquid dish wash in 1 glass of water and spray it in the area where the stink bugs rest and move. They’ll run away within a few days.
6. Diatomaceous Earth Powder
If you aren’t aware of how to get rid of stink bugs, then diatomaceous earth powder can do the trick. This powder is used as an insecticide to get rid of infestation. It appears like chalk powder and is used to mark territory for stink bugs. So make sure you scatter it everywhere around the entry gates, windows, or open cracks.
7. Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets are the opposite of stink bugs because the former emits a pleasant smell and the latter emits a foul odor. That’s why the two can’t be together in one place, so that is how it solves your problem. Place dryer sheets near the entry points, on windows and under the furniture to make these stubborn bugs run away.
8. Soap Water
Soap water is quite an effective solution to catch stink bugs. But, but, but…..the hero of this story is ‘light.’ How? You’ll know in a while. Firstly, prepare a soap solution with 1 liter of water and 1 spoonful of liquid detergent or soap. Put it in a wide-mouth utensil or tray and place it in the spot where you often see the bugs.
Now, arrange a lampshade or bulb (that emits black, white, or blue light because only they attract stink bugs) just above the utensil or tray and wait for about 12 to 15 hours. The bugs will get attracted to the light and your master plan will work.
9. Insect Net
Insect nets are a brilliant idea if you’re tired of trying all means of how to get rid of stink bugs. Spread an insect net wherever these bugs are, all over your garden or yard, floor, countertops, and even on pants and furniture. Once they sit on them, all you’ve to do is wrap the net carefully, put it into a garbage bag and dispose off the net because it would be infectious and also stink.
10. Empty Bottle
We often happen to have extra plastic bottles of soft drinks and/or water at home. Instead of discarding them, put them to use to collect the stink bugs (of course if there are only a few of them around). It will save you from spending on the insect net and you’ll get a good workout day, right?
Place a bottle near the stink bug and play hide and seek until they enter your trap. And you already know what to do next, close the bottle and leave them out in a distant place.
This method will be beneficial if executed with wide-mouth bottles (P.S.-you might need to purchase a bottle specially for the bugs, but the return gift is surely worth it- breathable home and surroundings).
11. Electric Insect Trap
Investing in an electronic insect trap is an ideal choice for those who don’t want to opt for any of the ways discussed above. You can learn how to use it from its guidebook and place it in the area where you see the stink bugs most often. The light and radiation of the electronic insect trap will take care of the rest.
What Attracts Stink Bugs In Your Home?
Plants, fruits, and open cracks are responsible for attracting stink bugs in your home. But you can’t throw all these things out of your home, you need not to do so. Just bear a few things in mind and you’ll need not to look for ways on how to get rid of stink bugs:
- Keep the doors and windows shut when you’re not around.
- Make sure you discard the weeds from your garden timely.
- Fill in the open cracks in your home.
- Turn off the lights when not needed as they attract stink bugs.
- Check your plans regularly so that not even a single of these tiny unwanted bugs can take shelter at your home.
When To Seek Professional Help?
The above-mentioned ways can surely help you tackle stink bugs. Nevertheless, if you find an army of stink bugs in your house or garden, and don’t know how to get rid of stink bugs then reach out to a professional pest control service provider who will fix the infestation. They’ll help you with professional and faster means and also tell you the future course of action to not let them renter.
Bottomline
If you’ve a yard or indoor plants you need to be more careful because stink bugs feed on almost everything. To add to it, they can be found lingering on leaves, buds, fruits, etc., and spoil them, that’s gross, right? So if you think an apple plant, banana plant, or even tomato plant is safe from these tiny creatures, that is so not the case. But killing them is no solution, in fact, it’ll make the situation worse for you. So just use the ways listed above if you don’t know how to get rid of stink bugs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
#1. Do Stink Bugs Bite?
No, stink bugs do not bite human beings. However, they can spread infection, degrade food including fruits, cause foliage in plants, and deteriorate the quality of soil.
#2. Does Squishing Stink Bugs Help?
You should never squish or smash stink bugs because they’ll emit a more strong pungent odor which is unbearable.
#3. From Where Do Stink Bugs Come Into House?
Stink bugs can enter from any small open gap in windows, or entrances or even can enter the balcony and take shelter in plants.
#4. Can Stink Bugs Fly?
The answer is Yes. Stink bugs do possess wings and can fly pretty well. That’s how they land in the balconies.
#5. How To Get Rid Of Stink Bugs?
Use one of the following ways to get rid of stink bugs: insect net, soap water, baking soda, dryer sheets, lavender oil, vacuum cleaner, electronic insect trap, neem oil solution, vinegar solution, diatomaceous earth powder, and an empty bottle. Check the article for detailed procedures.
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