What do you hate about bugs? Their ability to fly, their creepy-crawling abilities, their horrible smell? What if I told you there’s a bug that fits all of these descriptions, and that it might be crawling around inside your walls right now? Stink bugs look for warm places to overwinter, and your home might be the perfect location. Find out how to keep out these stinky pests.
What is a Stink Bug?
The brown marmorated stink bug is the most common type of stink bug in Hartford. Brown marmorated stink bugs grow to about the size of a dime. They have a hard shell that is shaped like a shield. They can be shades of brown or grey. They’re able to fly, making them an unwanted pest for sure. Brown marmorated stink bugs are native to Asia. They aren’t dangerous; they won’t bite or sting you, and they aren’t known for transmitting disease. However, they are considered a nuisance pest and they can cause a lot of problems if they get into your home. Let’s take a closer look.
Stink Bugs in Your Home
Stink bugs overwinter. This is similar to hibernation. During the fall months, stink bugs begin looking for a warm place to hide while they overwinter. The most common place you’ll have overwintering stink bugs is inside your walls. You could have hundreds of stink bugs in your walls through the winter. Come spring, the warmer weather will bring them out again to feed, mate, and breed. If you didn’t protect your home from stink bugs in the fall, you could have a big problem in the spring. Here are some prevention tips to avoid this scenario.
Preventative Measures
The best way to protect yourself from an invasion of hundreds of stink bugs in the spring is to keep them from getting into your house in the fall. First, make sure you aren’t attracting them. White lights attract stink bugs to your home. Prevent this by keeping lights off, closing your curtains and blinds at night, and switching to yellow light bulbs outside. Next, you want to remove any easy access points. Check the exterior of your home for cracks, holes, and gaps. Use caulk to fill in any spaces that may be allowing stink bugs inside. While you’re doing this, check screens for holes or tears, and replace any damaged screens.
At the first sign of a stink bug, kill it in your yard as a warning to others. Be warned, this will let off a smell! Some people vacuum up stink bugs as a way to dispose of them. Keep in mind that this will leave a residual smell in your vacuum cleaner, so use disposable bags if possible. If you’re afraid you have more stink bugs or you just want the most effective preventative plan in place, call American Pest Solutions. We can help you check for entry points or limit attracting factors. If you already have stink bugs, we can help remove them from your house, quickly and efficiently.