Stink Bugs

[Johnch]

Not sure how or where they are getting in
Or when

But the last few days I have killed 50+ of the darn things
I am finding them in every room
But more in the room with my computer
But IMO since I spend a many of hour killing time after dark on the computer
I bet the light draws them in

Any good ways to trap and or kill the darn things ??

First step will be trying to find out how or where the got in and fix that

Not planning paying to kill them
A fly swatter works great
As do 3 of my 4 cats .... they think they are toys and play them to death
But they just leave the dead ones an the floor for me to step on

Any ideas ?

John

[lavenatti]

I can't stand the smell of the things when I squash them. I use a jar with about an inch of rubbing alcohol in it and just knock them into it. Kills them instantly. Keep a lid on the jar and it'll last a long time.

[bobthenailer]

MY area of sw PA has had a infestation of stink bugs over the past 6 years, however the numbers have been decreasing rapidly over the last few years .

As for stopping them good luck ! you may slow them down a bit ! they are very resourceful bug ! they can sneak in about anywhere through any access point, they can light on your body , cloths and anything else you bring into the house and then there home free and yes they are attracted to light . some methods I have used with success a 2 liter pop bottle with the upper half cut off and inserted into the other half to create a funnel & catch bottle get one of the small battery powered
led lights with about 3 led bulbs , insert in the lower bottle and insert the top upside down and install some tape to hold the 2 halves in place and turn on from dusk until dawn , I used this method mostly in my attic.
also use some Ortho home defense max around doors , windows and any possible entry point

I have seen stink bug traps sold commercialy in the past at wally world and possibly lowes but they did not show up until a few years after our infestation started , I haven't used them

[w5pv]

The curse of gardeners and farmers

[SSGOldfart]

Try dish soap and warm water around, the outside of your house. They breed in the same habitat as crickets. lemon joy seems to work better than dawn, I think it's the lemon small,just mix it in a small sprayer ,John get out the weedeater/ trimmer and remove any weeds located around your house!!! Yep not fun, please keep them up your way.I don't want to fight them again here in my area. watch for brite red very small eggs about 1/2 the size of a small primer they are on the underside of plant leaf,most of the time it a broad leaf weeds.

[SSGOldfart]

The curse of gardeners and farmers

Couldn't be a truer statement

[waksupi]

I set off bug bombs every few months, seems to help.

[waarp8nt]

Try dish soap and warm water around, the outside of your house. They breed in the same habitat as crickets. lemon joy seems to work better than dawn, I think it's the lemon small,just mix it in a small sprayer ,John get out the weedeater/ trimmer and remove any weeds located around your house!!! Yep not fun, please keep them up your way.I don't want to fight them again here in my area. watch for brite red very small eggs about 1/2 the size of a small primer they are on the underside of plant leaf,most of the time it a broad leaf weeds.

Every year a few crickets, ants and spiders make their way into the house. Not so much stink bugs, but that occasional cricket can be annoying when trying to sleep. After the spring rains have stopped or slowed way down. I typically spray round up to kill the grass and/or weeds around the house, however this year I used the weed eater instead of chemicals. I then spread a granular bug killer like Seven Dust by just cutting the corner out of the bag and walking slowly around the house for a good even spread of the dust. Bug problems are gone for the season. Minimal cost as I spread right from the bag and not from a fancy broad cast spreader. I believe it works well as the bugs won't cross the circle of chemicals to get into the house. I have been using this method for many years to keep the bugs at bay.

[Harter66]

I don't think I'm thinking of the same stink bugs .
Ours here you wouldn't want to squash in the house ..... I've read ours can spray also . They have a grooved shell to catch the morning dew and when doing so or being defensive tip up so as to look like a sub doing an emergency surface . Never had any trouble with them in the house though except that one yr for about a week then they were 2 deep for about 35 miles .

[tdoyka]

MY area of sw PA has had a infestation of stink bugs over the past 6 years, however the numbers have been decreasing rapidly over the last few years .

As for stopping them good luck ! you may slow them down a bit ! they are very resourceful bug ! they can sneak in about anywhere through any access point, they can light on your body , cloths and anything else you bring into the house and then there home free and yes they are attracted to light . some methods I have used with success a 2 liter pop bottle with the upper half cut off and inserted into the other half to create a funnel & catch bottle get one of the small battery powered
led lights with about 3 led bulbs , insert in the lower bottle and insert the top upside down and install some tape to hold the 2 halves in place and turn on from dusk until dawn , I used this method mostly in my attic.
also use some Ortho home defense max around doors , windows and any possible entry point

I have seen stink bug traps sold commercialy in the past at wally world and possibly lowes but they did not show up until a few years after our infestation started , I haven't used them

last year was the time for stink bugs in swPa. it seemed to me every time i turned around i saw a stink bug. they were on the porch, living room, kitchen and bedrooms. i thought they be over when winter came in. boy was i wrong. they were still in my house. the past month i haven't seen them. but i'm sure that stink bugs are there.

what part of PA do you live in? i live in the outside of windber.it's the northern part of somerset county.

[375supermag]

Hi...
We first experienced these vermin several years ago here in southcentral Pennsylvania.
The infestation was so bad the back of my house was covered with the miserable creatures. We killed them in the house by the hundreds...insecticides seem to have little or no effect on them. We couldn't even go outside without them swarming around us and flying into the house by the dozens.

Over the years the infestation has become less and less, we see a couple a week or so now. Apparently, there are some effective countermeasures including the dish soap and warm water treatment mentioned above. I also read somewhere that there has been an introduction of natural predators into the area that keep their numbers in check. My understanding is they first arrived in America in the Allentown, Pa. area in a shipment of goods from China some years ago.

I have also been told that chickens eat them like candy. Don't know that for a fact...the only chickens on the estate are in the freezer or arrive from KFC.

I do know that they smell awful and the Labs chase them when they see them. I could survive very well if I never saw another the rest of my life.

[dragon813gt]

Must be a PA thing. They were horrible in the SE part a few years back. Since then I see them less and less. There is no hope of keeping them out. They get in everywhere. Had a friend send me picture of an entire exterior wall covered w/ them. The thing is they had just removed all the siding. The things got behind the siding. Mother Nature seems to be the only solution for them.

I guess I'm lucky. When they first showed up I couldn't smell them when killed. Now I get a slight hint of a smell but nothing major. One thing you don't want to do is let them touch you after being killed. A friend rolled over on one and killed it at night. Woke up the next morning w/ a large wound. Almost as if it burnt a hole in his skin. It took weeks to heal and even then there's a noticeable scar.

There are only a few things I hate. Canadian Geese and stink bugs are at the top of the list.

[tdoyka]

.

There are only a few things I hate. Canadian Geese and stink bugs are at the top of the list.

the canadian geese aren't too bad, IF they stay and eat the the field(meaning grain, corn....). but if they go into a pond or river then they taste awful. its all that green muck(algae) that they eat.

[dragon813gt]

the canadian geese aren't too bad, IF they stay and eat the the field(meaning grain, corn....). but if they go into a pond or river then they taste awful. its all that green muck(algae) that they eat.

Issue is the amount of them. Their excrement isn't healthy for anything. Especially in small bodies of water. When you can walk up to them because they have no fear of you something is wrong. They're rats w/ wings IMO.

[Harter66]

25# bow will stick them to the ground so they can't run away . A zwicky broad head does a nice job . Just shoot through the body from the back out the chest . Skip the adders and bird points , go with a cheap broadhead or take the sharp point off of whatever is clearance and shoot flu-flu's . The animal control dog stick works to as long as they're calm when the line comes up a little too tight . If you scare them they run around like a chicken with its head cut off .

[FWest]

Not sure how or where they are getting in
Or when

But the last few days I have killed 50+ of the darn things
I am finding them in every room
But more in the room with my computer
But IMO since I spend a many of hour killing time after dark on the computer
I bet the light draws them in

Any good ways to trap and or kill the darn things ??

First step will be trying to find out how or where the got in and fix that

Not planning paying to kill them
A fly swatter works great
As do 3 of my 4 cats .... they think they are toys and play them to death
But they just leave the dead ones an the floor for me to step on

Any ideas ?

John

We have them in Maine. I get some packing or duct tape, a few inches. Get close stick them to it, fold the tape over and seal them and their stink in. Deposit in trash.

[tdoyka]

Issue is the amount of them. Their excrement isn't healthy for anything. Especially in small bodies of water. When you can walk up to them because they have no fear of you something is wrong. They're rats w/ wings IMO.

one time, years ago, i took my boys to twin lakes park. i figured that they would romp and play the swings and monkey bars. it was our first time there and it will be last time. there was goose ....i'm mean excrement everywhere. it was on the tables, on the swings, on the monkey bars, on the water..... i packed the boys up and i took them for ice cream and a movie.


i've eaten a few geese that were in the field. i "tried" to eat one that was taken from a pond....yuck, now i can taste it, yuck. we used to go to camp and there were ducks on penns creek. never tried one, but they probably tasted like a pond goose.

[PaulG67]

If you have window air conditioners make sure they are completely sealed all around, the smallest hole will be enough for them to get through.

[472x1B/A]

Not sure how or where they are getting in
Or when

But the last few days I have killed 50+ of the darn things
I am finding them in every room
But more in the room with my computer
But IMO since I spend a many of hour killing time after dark on the computer
I bet the light draws them in

Any good ways to trap and or kill the darn things ??

First step will be trying to find out how or where the got in and fix that

Not planning paying to kill them
A fly swatter works great
As do 3 of my 4 cats .... they think they are toys and play them to death
But they just leave the dead ones an the floor for me to step on

Any ideas ?

John

I feel for ya John. The only 'things' I have found to help keep them away from our house is Malathion-5, Pramitol 25E, and cheap dish washing soap. Nothing grows or crosses within 1 foot of the foundation, of the house or garage with the first two, and nothing crawls over the last one. For some reason they do not like dish washing soap. Now the fliers are another thing. I read some where that there are over 1400 varieties of stink bugs. Good luck with you fight John.

[dragon813gt]

The Wikipedia article explains their introduction and distribution in the US pretty well. W/ no environmental limiting factors they won't be eradicated.