Home Stink bugs How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs-Kill, Repel & Deter Tips

How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs-Kill, Repel & Deter Tips

Getting rid of and killing stink bugs may require either or a combination of physical pesticides, physical removal and the best of all, preventing or repelling their entry into your house, garden or car. This piece takes a look at these various methods in detail including natural home remedies.

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How to get rid of Stink Bugs with Natural Home Remedies

Having a stink bug in your home whether it is an infestation of a single one is in itself very uncomfortable.

how tp get rid, kill and repel stink bugs — Stink bug

To some people, the weird shape it has makes them disgusted and so is it when it is squashed and ends up emitting a pungent odor.

However, you are not to worry as there are methods through which you could be able to get rid of these insects both in your home and in the garden.

Natural pesticides

You can use natural pesticides: diatomaceous earth, peppermint spray, garlic spray, soap spray

Diatomaceous earth (DE)

Diatomaceous earth is an effective powder that contains alumina, silica and iron oxide. The reason it is used in stink bugs is also the same reason it bears some efficacy in the treatment of bed bug infestations.

The powder elicits its action through breaking the exoskeleton that forms a protective layer on the stink bug and leads to dehydration.

Choosing or selecting diatomaceous earth powder that has not been pre-heated is important as it is more effective than the otherwise.

In order to use this method, you will need to identify the spaces through which stink bugs enter your house then paste the powder along these areas such as the windows.

Peppermint Spray

Peppermint may be able to elicit its function on keeping stink bugs away from your house through the menthol constituent. Instead of the peppermint you can So as to make this home remedy;

Get a cup of water with a dropper for the mint. However, you need to crash the leaves before you can use it. You can either use the distillation or solution method in order to extract the minty aromatic water that is beneficial in the repelling properties of the preparation. This is 250 mL and 10 drops respectively. Then shake to ensure that the mixture is uniform.
Now spray the mint onto your plants in the garden not forgetting entry points of stink bugs such as windows and cracks on walls among other areas where the stink bugs hide.

Garlic spray

Prepare a garlic spray:

This is 250 mL and 10 mL respectively. Then shake to ensure that the mixture is uniform.
Now spray the mint onto your plants in the garden not forgetting entry points of stink bugs such as windows and cracks on walls among other areas where the stink bugs hide.
You should be able to do this daily until you have no pending sting bugs in your house. You should however note that garlic is a repellent and is not an insecticide.

Soap Water

In order to do this, make some hot water in order to make it soft for better foaming with the soap you will use.

Make about 1L then measure out some liquid soap about 180 mLs.
Add the water to the soap then use this mixture to spray where stink bugs aggregate. How soap water is deemed to work is through its ability to break down the protective exoskeleton through the action of the surfactant. Surfactants are wetting agents and are able to increase the wettability of the exoskeleton which absorbs water and makes it weak. Breaking of this layer leads to dehydration.

Physical Removal:

You can also opt of physical removal of stink bugs if they are not too many to do so. This method is best done in combination with other methods so that they both augment each other in doing an effective job. Some of the methods that you can use include:

Vacuuming stink bugs

While using this method, target the areas that are most unreachable and where stink bugs hide. Especially the cracks and other holes that exist in your house. Well of course you wouldn’t use this method outside in your garden. One note is that you should choose to use a vacuum that has a bag as your vacuum is later going to stink if you do not do so.
Once you have done the vacuuming, you should ensure that you empty the bag’s contents into a bin. Seal the bag properly to avoid emission of the foul smell.
If you have a bagless vacuum, you can use a sock or any other clothing by pushing it into the mouth of the vacuum cleaner making sure that it is secure. So long as this is done, the stink bugs will be sucked up into the cloth.

Fly tapes are effective

Just as they work with other insects, this could work as well with stink bugs. Use this on the window frames, underneath your doors, cracks, crevices and other areas that you may deem ways they could get into your house. This method will only trap them and neither repel nor kill them.

Electrocute them

This method is applied on stink bugs in the night or by switching off the lights and switching on the electrocuting system.

The stink bugs will be attracted to the light. It is then electrocuted as it approaches the light.

Natural predator of stink bugs-What eats them?

According to the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, in the United States, the brown marmorated stink bug isn’t native. It is purported that since they are not native, they have no natural enemies.

However, this may not be entirely true as there are insects that actually feed or prey on stink bugs.

Such insects include;

Assassin bugs
Predatory stink bugs
Two egg parasitoid

These natural predators do not only prey on stink bugs but also a variety of insects out there. This means that even the beneficial insects in your garden will be fed on.

Some years ago, USDA research lab in Delaware, said that there is a much better and more selective predator that is being bred in the laboratory.

It is an egg parasitoid. It is a tiny wasp native to Asia that implants its own babies in the stink bug eggs, thereafter disallowing the growth and development of stink bug babies. There aren’t updates if this lab-made predator has been let out of the control room.

Killing Stink Bugs-Is it possible to Kill them yourself?

Harsh conditions kill stink bugs. This is why they hibernate away from cold weather and seasons. The adverse cold in the winter is not favorable for their survival and nor is it for the growth and development of the nymphs. They even choose to reproduce after the winter, in the early spring.

Your pet might also kill stink bugs. They do this out of shear curiosity in simple disgust. Remember that stink bugs are not aesthetic to look at even to your pet.

Shortage of food or famine will surely kill stink bugs though after a long time of hibernation during a time when they really tone down their metabolism in what is known as diapause.

How can you Catch and kill them yourself? Is it possible?

It is possible to kill the stink bugs yourself. The rule of thumb is that you ensure you do this outside and not inside the house for the malodorous smell might end up lingering for hours.

Squashing them with your finger could lead to an unprecedented hypersensitivity reaction. You would rather use your foot to do so.

Sprays, Insecticides & products for Infestation Control

Sprays

There are a number of sprays that you could go for. Good thing is that they are plenty in the market.

This article mentions a few with their active component responsible for the claim they have against insects including stink bugs. This has been detailed in the next sub-section of this material.

In order for you to realize the full benefit of the sprays against stink bugs, conduct an inspection before treatment.

Do some preventative methods to prevent their entry into your house. You should also choose the best time to do your treatment. It is advisable to start before the winter then continue into the winter period when the first frost is eminent.

Insecticides/pesticides

Here are some of the pesticides or insecticides that are used:

Overwintering Stink Bug Kit

this product is effective against the brown marmorated stink bug and other bugs including the lady bugs, elder bugs and the pill bugs, rather rare bugs.

The ingredients include two insecticides and a dust applicator. The two active components are non-other than Bifenthrin 7.9% and Amorphous Silica Gel 100%.

The second ingredient is responsible for the long term effect seen when using this product.

It is similar to the diatomaceous earth that is also applied to kill stink bugs through its dehydration effect.

The dust enables use in voids or in areas where it is relatively difficult to access.

CB-80 Aerosol

Another product that has proven efficacy in the treatment of stink bug infestations. It has one of the oldest insecticides, 0.50% Pyrethrins and an extra 4%

Piperonyl Butoxide

It is more trustworthy as the chemical has been used for many decades in the control of insects and has a biodegradable chemical hence helping preserve the environment.

However, the popularity of pyrethrins has slowly degraded over the years due to the culminating cases of resistance.

The OMRI Natural Insect Control:

This is a product which also has pyrethrins known as Evergreen Pyrethrum Concentrate and its Dust.

Other Products/chemicals

Other chemicals or products that you can use includes any product that has a pyrethrin derivative with an appreciable popularity and history of a proven efficacy.

You can also use products that have incorporated both chemicals and the natural products.

Dealing with stink bugs in the garden on Tomatoes & Citrus

When you have stink bugs in your garden, you can do the following in order to prevent their destructive action on fruits such as tomatoes and citrus.

You can use natural pesticides
Do some killing in the garden
Do some weeding in your yard or garden

Tips Prevent, Repel, Deter & keep Stink Bugs Out of House & Car

In addition to the above natural home remedies and chemical methods to get rid and kill them you can avoid an infestation from these bugs. Prevention of entry is the best method that you can use. Here’s how:

Patch up any openings in your walls and seal any cracks too:

These are common entry points that you need to seal. Get some concrete and do the sealing or seal the windows and ceilings better so that stink bugs have no place they can hibernate.

If you have a vent or chimneys, then you can cover them with the use of a wire mesh. When you are patching up holes, you have a number of options that you can rely on such as an adhesive and epoxy.

Keep your doors and windows closed and locked: you can have these closed so that you have no problems with dealing with stink bugs. This works best if you have patched and sealed all holes and cracks through which they can enter.

Here are some more tips of on repel and keep the them out:

Use a damp towel

Soak some towel or if you don’t have this, a washcloth in water. Then drain off the water and hang the towel as it is in a horizontal pole in the garden.

Do this in the evening so that you have it hanging overnight. You will find stink bugs on the towel in the morning.

Dip the towel into a soapy solution then drain off the water with the stink bugs.

Make some essential oils

This is one of the most effective methods to repel stink bugs with. Select your favorite oil then spray it on the bugs.

When you spray it along the window panes or where stink bugs enter, they are unlikely to enter through that route hence barring them.

Make some garlic extract

You can add about 4 tablespoons of crushed and dried garlic powder in a cup or two of water.

Do this is a spray bottle then crimp it. Spray or sprinkle it in your garden or some stink bug chill spots in your house.

Keep your garden weeded and bushes trimmed:

This reduces the chances of harboring stink bugs as they are attracted to weeds too.

Unnecessary bushes in your yard also provides a place on which stink bugs can settle.

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