Are there stink bugs in your home? These are the combination of two of the worst things in the world. Nobody likes stink, and nobody likes bugs. So it’s understandable that you’d want to keep them out of your house and off of your property. However, the more you know about stink bugs, the more you may realize that keeping them out is harder than you thought.
Stink Bug Description
With flat, brown bodies, stink bugs have a very unique look. But what gives them their name? When stink bugs are threatened, they’ll emit a very unpleasant odor. Along with being unsightly, stink bugs can create other issues on your property. Although they don’t necessarily pose a threat to humans, they do damage to outdoor gardens. Plus, they don’t just emit smells when they are threatened. They also secrete unpleasant odors when they die, which, unfortunately, is typically in light fixtures.
It’s an uncomfortable feeling, having stink bugs around. You know exactly what they’ll do, so you don’t want to kill them, but you don’t want them hanging around your house, either. It seems like no matter what you do to them, they’re going to secrete unpleasant odors into your home. If you try to grab them and put them outside, they may feel threatened and emit odors. If you leave them be, they’ll eventually secrete odor anyways, and if you kill them, you’ll stink the whole place up. The problem is escalated in most cases because they can invade homes in large numbers, (which is a lot of stink). That’s why keeping them out should be your top priority.
Stink Bug Prevention
Since stink bugs in your home is basically a lose-lose situation (or really, a lose-lose-lose), it is important to keep them out. Your best bet is to try the following:
- Seal off every potential entry point under doors and in cracks on the edges of windows. Keep the house in good condition structurally.
Keep outdoor lights off at night.
Control the moisture in your home (this includes leaking pipes in the basement, around the property, under sinks, and behind appliances).
Clean and properly store leftover food.
Ventilate the house effectively to avoid humidity and stagnancy.
Look around your luggage or bags before bringing them into the house (you never know what a stink bug will cling to just to get inside).
Landscape effectively and properly (a clean, decluttered yard will make stink bugs want to move on).
If you can stick with this list, you’ll have a fighting chance. If you do incur an infestation, you do not want to try and fix it yourself. All of the sprays and DIY techniques typically leave you with the same issues resurfacing and money right down the drain.
Getting the job done right the first time means relying on the experts. The best form of stink bug protection comes with on-going professional assistance from Old School Pest Control. Our friendly pest technicians have been keeping Saratoga homes pest-free for decades, and we’d love to add you to our list of satisfied clients. We have the pest control you need for the price you want, and, even more importantly, we can save you a lot of time and energy, leaving you with more time for the activities you enjoy, like relaxing on your couch and not worrying about the next time a stink bug will die in the overhead light.