Community Corner

10 Tips for Battling Stink Bugs

Stink bugs are looking for a warm place to spend the winter — perhaps inside your house.

Written by Mariella Savidge

You've probably seen them crawling on your screens or fluttering around your house. If you crush them, they expel a musty scent, a defensive technique that has earned them their name—stink bugs.

The brown marmorated stink bugs, which have a brown, shield-like body, were first discovered in Allentown, Pa. in 2001, according to a University of Maryland entomology bulletin. They feed on fruit trees, ornamental plants, vegetables and legumes, and are common throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, especially in the fall, according to the bulletin

Find out what's happening in Norristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Although stink bugs are not known to present any harm to humans, according to UMD, they are a major nuisance.

Here are ten ways to get rid of them:

Find out what's happening in Norristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

1. Use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the bugs - UMD Bulletin.

2. Cut the top of a half gallon or gallon jug, fill it with soapy water and use a piece of cardboard or a napkin to whisk the bugs into the water, which will drown them - UMD Bulletin.

3. Seal up cracks around windows and doors with caulk or weather stripping. - UMD Home and Garden Information Center.

4. Take out window-unit air conditioners; stink bugs can easily get through these. - UMD HGIC.

5. Plant or move fruit trees and vegetable gardens, especially tomato plants, away from your home to prevent stink bugs from landing on the exterior of your home. - UMD HGIC.

6. Squish stink bugs outdoors--the odor warns other stink bugs to flee. - Bayer Advanced insect control.

7. Hang a stink bug trap outside your house to catch them. - UMD Bug Guy, Mike Raupp.

8. Hang a damp towel outside your home overnight. In the morning, stink bugs will blanket the towel, and you can use a vacuum or knock them into a jug of soapy water to kill them. -Bayer Advanced

9. Although most insecticides are ineffective against stink bugs, some do work, but the bug must be clearly on the label. Insecticides are never to be used indoors - UMD HGIC

10. Check your attic for holes or gaps and close them up. Stinkbugs often enter through attics - Mike Raupp, UMD Bug Guy.    


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here