Stink bugs are insects that can start as one bug, and turn into a serious problem. Although it might make you feel bad to kill these bugs, once they come into your house, they will most likely be able to get in again. This means that putting them outside will not stop the problem.

There are a few methods of removing stinkbugs. The easiest way to get rid of stink bugs is to flush them down the toilet. This will help you to avoid the bad odor that they omit as well.

The problem arises when you have many stink bugs. It does not make sense to constantly flush the toilet. This will waste water and cost you money.

What Are Stink Bugs?

Stink Bugs Down The ToiletThe Asian stink bug is also known as the brown marmorated stink bug. This bug not only draws out the nutrients of fruits and vegetables but actually makes any product that it touches completely inedible.

Originally, brown marmorated stink bugs came from China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

In the 1990s, sink bugs eventually came to the United States through plants. Now, stink bugs are all over the United States. While they hibernate during winter, they thrive in warm climates.

How to Get Prevent Stink Bugs

There are a few simple steps that you can take to prevent stink bugs before they infest your home.

Seal Your House

Stink bugs can sneak in through small cracks in your home. This is why it is of the utmost importance to make sure your home is fully sealed, and properly protected. Do this by putting stripping around your windows and doors. You can also put silicone caulk to seal your windows and siding.

Maintain and Remove Rot

Rotted wood is a favorite of stink bugs. They can feed on rotting wood and are very attracted to it. Prevent stink bugs by checking your wood frames, doors, decks, and roof periodically for rot. You can also check other spaces in your home such as the floors around your water heater, washing machine, dishwasher, toilet, tub, and sink.

Cover Your Chimney and Attack Vents

Your chimney and attic vents are an easy way for stink bugs to sneak in. This can be fixed by placing screens over both your attic vents and your chimney to prevent bugs from crawling in. You should also fix all holes that are found in your window screens, and also make sure there are no gaps between your window and the screen.

Turn Off Your Lights

Turning off your outdoor and indoor lights when you are not using them will help to prevent stink bugs. Aside from saving money on your energy bill, it will stop the bugs from coming to your home because they are attracted to light. You should also try to keep your shades and blinds shut. This will help to keep light from shining outside and attracting stink bugs.

Spray Down Your Home

Stink bugs hate water, so if you notice stink bugs around your window, you can spray them Do this with a mixture of soap and water. It will not kill them, but it may make them realize that your home is not safe.

If you see a large number of stink bugs around or on the side of your house, you can spray them with your hose and then place them in a bucket of soapy water. This can deter them from coming back.

How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs

Set Up Traps

There are many different types of stink bug traps that exist. Some use heat, others use light, and some even use smells to attract stink bugs. Once the stink bugs are inside they will be killed. These traps work and make clean up a breeze.

Dish Soap

As mentioned before, you can place a bit of dish soap in a spray bottle to get rid of stink bugs. Although they may not die, they can become paralyzed which can allow you to remove them.

Insect Control Sprays

Although synthetic sprays kill and repel stink bugs, you should only use them as a last resort. If you cannot get rid of stink bugs in your garden or around your home, you can use an insect control spray.

The Toilet

The most effective way to kill stink bugs is to flush them down the toilet. Most of the time when you use this method, you will never see them again. If you have a large number of bugs that you are able to collect at once this can be a good option.

On the other hand, this method can also work if you have only one or two bugs to flush every so often. You should not use this method if you need to flush a stink bug more than one time per day as it will be a huge waste of water.

Fly Paper

If you have stink bugs that are walking around your home and finding their way in often, then fly paper can be a good option. This works well because stink bugs let out a pheromone that attracts other stink bugs. When one bug is stuck, it will most likely be followed up with more bugs.

Do not be surprised if you come back home to find your strip of fly paper covered in stink bugs. This will be pretty gross, but it can help to solve the problem during the stink bug season.

Avoid Squishing Stink Bugs

Although it may be tempting to squish stink bugs with your feet or shoes, it is probably the worst method of killing these bugs. The problem is, when you crush stink bugs, they will omit their smelly odor. This will allow you to understand the reason behind their naming.

Can I Vacuum Stink Bugs?

Although vacuuming up stink bugs sounds easy and helps you avoid touching them, it can actually cause a lot more problems. If you vacuum up stink bugs then they will leave a horrible smell inside of your vacuum. They may even leave bits of their body on different parts of the vacuum which will prevent you from fully cleaning it.

If you must vacuum sink bugs, then be sure to use a bag operating vacuum. You will need to immediately remove the bag after you are done and put it far away from your home.

After vacuuming the bugs, you should spray air freshener around your home and into the vacuum. This will help to mask the odor. If you have a huge stink bug problem, and you really want to use a vacuum to get rid of them, you can get a small vacuum specifically for the stink bugs and leave it in your garage.

Related Questions

Are stink bugs dangerous?

Stink bugs are not harmful to humans and do not even reproduce inside human structures. Despite this, they are very nasty and omit an unpleasant odor.

Where do stink bugs get their name?

The stink bug has a gland in its thorax. This gland produces a liquid with a bad smell. When the bug feels threatened it sprays this in defense. That means if you squish them, then you will smell this bad smell.

Do stink bugs have any predators?

Bats and some birds eat stink bugs.