Seeing bugs inside your house is bad enough; smelling them is even worse! Stink bugs are an invasive species of Asian insects that wreak havoc on crops throughout the United States every year. Because they dislike cold weather, stink bugs commonly begin to invade homes in the Green Bay area during the fall. While not as harmful as some pests, stink bugs release their namesake odor when they feel threatened. If many of them get inside your home during winter, the stench can become unbearable.

Are you dreading the prospect of spending the winter months cooped up with these smelly pests? Keep reading to learn some helpful tips to eliminate stink bugs from your home in Green Bay.

 

5 Tips for Stink Bug Removal & Prevention

1. Seal Entry Points – Growing to about ⅔ inch long, stink bugs can easily fit through any holes or cracks to enter your home in Green Bay. Common stink bug entry points include through damaged screens, gaps around windows and under doors, and cracks in your siding or fascia board. As fall approaches, inspect your home to find any vulnerabilities that stink bugs may be able to enter through and seal them off. Replace damaged screens and consider installing door sweeps on exterior doors so that they don’t become stink bug entry points.
2. Minimize Outdoor Lights – Outdoor lighting can improve safety and security and may also be integral to your landscape. Unfortunately, outdoor lights also attract many pests, including stink bugs. In fall, try to minimize your outdoor light usage to prevent stink bugs from swarming around your home. You may also want to install yellow light bulbs, since stink bugs are less drawn to them. Be mindful of lights near windows, too, as these may lure stink bugs into your home in Green Bay.
3. Inspect Your Groceries – Unlike some pests, stink bugs rarely invade homes with the purpose of raiding the kitchen. However, stink bugs sometimes do infiltrate homes via the food you bring into your kitchen. As agricultural pests, stink bugs often make themselves at home on fruit and vegetables, and may still be clinging to them when you buy them at your local grocery store or farmer’s market. Inspect your groceries when you bring them home to make sure there aren’t any stink bugs hitching a ride.
4. Vacuum Them Up – Whether they’re alive or dead, the best way to get rid of stink bugs without unleashing their stink is to suck them up with a vacuum cleaner. Most other methods of eliminating stink bugs are certain to trigger a defensive response and picking up dead bugs risks crushing them, which will also release the stench. Dispose of vacuum bags containing stink bugs immediately to prevent the smell from seeping out into your Green Bay area home.
5. Call a Pest Control Company – Getting rid of stink bugs with do-it-yourself methods doesn’t always work. Your most reliable option for complete stink bug removal is to call a licensed pest control company in Green Bay. Pest control technicians know the best methods to remove stink bugs from homes and prevent more of them from getting in. They may also perform perimeter pest treatments to completely deter stink bugs from your property.

 

Need Some Help to Deal With Stink Bugs?

If you’ve had enough of stink bugs befouling your home, it’s time to let the professionals evict them. Give Pest Badger a call today to set up a stink bug control appointment for your home in the Green Bay area!