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Tips for Installing Screens:
Use fine mesh screens that can keep out not just stink bugs but other small insects as well.
Securely attach screens to ensure there are no loose edges.
3. Reduce Outdoor Lighting
Stink bugs are attracted to lights. Reducing the use of outdoor lighting during peak stink bug activity in late summer and early fall can make your home less appealing to them.
Lighting Tips:
Use yellow or sodium vapor lights for outdoor lighting as they are less attractive to insects.
Turn off unnecessary outdoor lights at night.
4. Keep Your Home Clean and Decluttered
Stink bugs are drawn to places where they can hide. Keeping your home clean and free of clutter, especially in attics, basements, and garages, can reduce the places where stink bugs might find shelter.
Decluttering Tips:
Regularly vacuum and dust corners, under furniture, and other areas where bugs might hide.
Store items in sealed plastic containers rather than cardboard boxes.
5. Use Natural Repellents
There are several natural repellents that can help deter stink bugs from entering your home. Essential oils like peppermint, neem, and eucalyptus are known to repel stink bugs.
How to Use Natural Repellents:
Mix 10-15 drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle and spray around entry points and areas where stink bugs are likely to enter.
Use dried herbs like mint or lavender sachets near windows and doors.
6. Deploy Traps
If you already have stink bugs in your home, traps can be an effective way to capture and remove them. Commercially available stink bug traps can be placed in areas where stink bugs are commonly seen.
DIY Traps:
Fill a foil pan with water and add a few drops of dish soap. Place a light over the pan. The light attracts the bugs, and the soap reduces the water's surface tension, causing the bugs to drown.
7. Maintain Your Garden
Stink bugs often enter homes from gardens, so maintaining your garden can help reduce the likelihood of them finding their way inside.
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