Do shield bugs bite people intentionally?
Why do they want to get into the house?
Shield Bugs
Summary:
With shield bugs invading, everyone is looking for ways to control these pests. Here are some suggested shield bug remedies I have received recently.
To date, the most effective method of controlling shield bugs is to exclude them. Seal up windows and doors. Put screens over chimneys. Close the tiny cracks and crevices found in siding. All great ideas. None of them perfect. The shield bugs still seem to gain entry at will.
But, when there's an issue leave it up to homeowners to come up with novel ideas to fight these insidious pests. Here are some of the best suggestions I've received to date for keeping shield bugs on the other side of the wall.
HB: We put a super fine metal screen inside the soffits and on vent pipes in an effort to stop them from coming in and we have noticed less in the house.
FH: I have tried something that seems to be working. I had purchased an amazing amount of garlic and since I didn't want it to go bad I pureed it with oil and kept it in a jar in the refrigerator. Since these pests seem to dislike garlic, I decided to give it a try. I placed a small Tupperware container of the pureed garlic in the top of the bottom sash of our double hung window. It works! I was seeing 30 to 50 bugs a day on this window and now we are down to less than 5. Granted, the room smells like garlic, but I don't care. I change the container every 4 to 5 days so it remains potent. The oil keeps it from drying out so it keeps the strong garlic odor for a longer period of time.
JB: For two years I have used a solution of cypermetherin in a garden feeder and blast them out of the window screens and shutters in the fall. I think they follow their scent because they congregate around the same areas every year. I also used concentrated bleach in the garden feeder and that seemed to work just as well.
Garlic
TW: I found that toilet bowl cleaner from the dollar store (20% Hydrogen Chloride) works quickly. I used it on the ones I found in the bathroom. I am not recommending that anyone use the toilet bowl cleaner everywhere, but I am trying to find the least concentrated solution which maintains its efficacy.
BR: When I see a shield bug I slide it onto a piece of paper and put it a jar of Dawn detergent. The bug immediately dies. I have also used mineral oil.
Incense
LM: We have devised a simple "catcher n terminator" device consisting of 1 plastic cup and 1 empty yogurt cup. In the yogurt cup I sprayed some WD 40. I will use the plastic cup to catch the shield bugs then pour them into the yogurt cup. When not in use, I just cover the yogurt cup with the plastic cup. When the yogurt cup is full, I throw it away and just use a new one.
ET: I like to put them in a plastic bag and microwave them. Twenty seconds does the trick and no stink.
JC: This is going to sound weird, but I nail polish them. When one is walking on the counter top I quickly drip a drop of fast drying nail polish near it's rear-end.
Thanks to everyone for all your fine suggestions. For more shield bug articles and some pesticides that work on shield bugs, click here.
Comments
john
16 Oct 2009, 22:57
16 Oct 2009, 22:57
EG
28 Dec 2009, 21:41
28 Dec 2009, 21:41
I have the best idea yet!! I feed them to my chicken! She adores them!
YUM!!
peter
18 Feb 2010, 15:06
18 Feb 2010, 15:06
we see one everyday in are house
stephanie
12 Mar 2010, 09:06
12 Mar 2010, 09:06
UGG!! I'm looking at one on wall in kitchen right now. It's become a
terrible, daily occurance. I sold a house in Bklyn due to large waterbugs;
have always been afraid of insects. 8 years ago, we came to Marlboro, nj
and a neighbor told us about the "ugly bugs" we'd never seen before. This
winter, they came indoors, with a vengence! When one was in the shower with
me last week, I nearly had a heartache. Wanted to call exterminator but
people have said it doesn't help. Now, I live cautiously all the time,
especially when home alone. Not as bad a s roaches since they don't get
into food and better than bees since they are so slow and easy to kill. But
I'm still tortured by them!
Sherri
25 Mar 2010, 08:30
25 Mar 2010, 08:30
I am so happy to know that I am not alone with my fear of these bugs. I am
actually nauseated just reading these articles. Alot seems to make sense
about how they are getting inside. They are probably in our attic and have
been kept warm by the heat in our house because we have had them all winter
long. probably up to five per day. My kids and i are so stressed out by
them. They usually are crawling on walls and usually right beforew we go to
bed which is then hard for us to sleep. We have been sucking them up in our
vacuum but i wish we could find a permanent solution so we could have a
little less stress before bed. I know this sounds so silly but we a really
afraid of these bugs and really grossed out!!!!
Barbara
01 Apr 2010, 14:50
01 Apr 2010, 14:50
I have been in my house 13 years and this is the first time they have
invaded. What causes them and were do they come from.Do they have a green
card or what ??????
Kevin
02 May 2010, 21:22
02 May 2010, 21:22
Does any have real solutions that work to exterminate stink bugs from
within your house? I have read that deltamethrin dust in the attic is one
solution. another is baygon aerosol sprayed in tight areas. a mix of water
and cypermethrin sprayed around other points of entry like soffits. Has
anyone tried these and did they work?
cheryl
03 May 2010, 08:00
03 May 2010, 08:00
we thought up until today thinking we were dealing with stink bugs but
turns out they were shield bugs my son pointed out that the picture of the
shield bug looke more like the things were killing every hour.
Ask the Exterminator
03 May 2010, 09:14
03 May 2010, 09:14
Basically the same insect.
SHep
25 May 2010, 17:11
25 May 2010, 17:11
I'm in the pest control business & I can tell you that nothing I've tried
including exclusion has worked. Phantom, Cy-kick, deltadust, tri-die,
termador etc... Anyone have any sucess stories? My customers are not happy
w/ our inability to control these pests.
Ask the Exterminator
26 May 2010, 09:47
26 May 2010, 09:47
Exclusion will work, but finding every possible entry point is nearly an
impossible task. Most people seem to like the Demon WP product, although
this product is tough on equipment because it clogs the filter screens. A
wettable powder (WP) is last longer than any other product, including
micro-encapsulated pesticides.
Jess
27 May 2010, 14:26
27 May 2010, 14:26
We just purchased a 2006 van and have been finding anywhere from 3 to 6 of
these bugs inside on a daily basis for the past week. How on earth am I
supposed to get rid of them considering it's a car - can't very well seal
everything off.
dew
23 Sep 2010, 17:39
23 Sep 2010, 17:39
no matter where you are in my house you can look around and see at least on
sheild bug. it drives me crazy!
Tom
23 Sep 2010, 23:41
23 Sep 2010, 23:41
I noticed shield bugs in my home office. I reached for the Avery 8163
shipping labels on my desk and used the adhesive to trap each bug, folded
the label, crushed the bug, and tossed it in the trash.
Julie
24 Sep 2010, 14:17
24 Sep 2010, 14:17
I have tried mixing a solution of 75% rubbing alcohol and 25% water in a
spray bottle. I have them all over the screens in my sunroom in
Pennsylvania. If enough of the mixture gets on them, they do die. It
seems to have worked well so far but it is a never ending battle. When one
dies three more take its place!!!
James E Bowman
25 Sep 2010, 14:47
25 Sep 2010, 14:47
A mixture of 1/2 Pine Sol and water does the trick for me. They are
avoiding my back porch but not comletely
Where did these pests come from ? I have been living in MD since '72 and this is the first year that I have been invaded
Where did these pests come from ? I have been living in MD since '72 and this is the first year that I have been invaded
Jim
26 Sep 2010, 13:00
26 Sep 2010, 13:00
I tried the chemical route very expensive. I now have sprayed the sides of
my house and all widows with a Dawn soap solution twice this week. After
the second spraying I have seen no stink bugs. There are hundreds dead on
the ground. This is cheap and is working. None in the house or outside the
house. I also put lavender oil soaked cotton balls in each window sill.
They hate that smell. Any way for less then $20.00 this solution is the
best for my infestation. Oh and last year I spent over $1,000 for and
exterminator and no real help.
Ann
26 Sep 2010, 20:15
26 Sep 2010, 20:15
cold kills these guys... use that when possible. A few nights in severe
cold should do it. I plan to do that with my garage when it gets cold. But
the attics will take dust and you also need to wash the old stink off your
house or they just come back.
cathy
27 Sep 2010, 08:47
27 Sep 2010, 08:47
Could a shield/stink bug be unhealthy to animals? My cat finds them before
I do and chases and eats them. I'm hoping he won't become sick . . . he
hasn't eaten many (to my knowledge).
Ask the Exterminator
27 Sep 2010, 10:04
27 Sep 2010, 10:04
It all depends upon the individual pet, but I wouldn't let your pets eat
them if you can prevent it.
arthur levine
27 Sep 2010, 12:36
27 Sep 2010, 12:36
There is an ad listed found in Google from a guy in PA. that alleges for
$24.00 he can teach you how to fix the Pest problem. Do you believe it? Is
his solution to hit them with the PDF Paper file you print from your pc
printer?
Can the Exterminator comment on some of these methods listed on your site?
Should we ask legislators to bring back DDT TEMPORARILY?
Should I trust exterminators that say than can fix the problem?
Can the Exterminator comment on some of these methods listed on your site?
Should we ask legislators to bring back DDT TEMPORARILY?
Should I trust exterminators that say than can fix the problem?
Ask the Exterminator
27 Sep 2010, 13:15
27 Sep 2010, 13:15
I've not purchased his book. Every new idea about stink bugs is discussed
thoroughly in our pest control industry magazines and websites. This guy
sounds like some peep show empresario. "Step right up folks. Just one thin
dime will get you in to see the 8th Wonder of the World." I guarantee you
he does not have anything worth talking about. If he did it would be front
page news.
DDT will never come back. Ever!
If an exterminator says he can fix your pest problem, yet he doesn't tell you how and he does not involve you in the process, don't believe him. If he provides a description of his work, tells you what products he plans on using and provides an assessment of your particular situation, you can trust him.
DDT will never come back. Ever!
If an exterminator says he can fix your pest problem, yet he doesn't tell you how and he does not involve you in the process, don't believe him. If he provides a description of his work, tells you what products he plans on using and provides an assessment of your particular situation, you can trust him.
arthur levine
28 Sep 2010, 13:06
28 Sep 2010, 13:06
I minced 50 garlic cloves and boiled them in h20 3/4 gallon, let cool
strained and poured into a sprayer. The little buggers seemd to enjoy it
at 6:30 PM est. The next morning they were still there. When I return home
from the office arond 3:00 I'll make a note to report tomorrow if the
garlic myth really repells them.
Thanks for you feed back on DDT!
Thanks for you feed back on DDT!
JIM
21 Oct 2010, 09:46
21 Oct 2010, 09:46
I have found a solution that will kill stink bugs. Just pour abouta half
cup of scented sudsy ammonia in a spray bottle, add a couple of squirts of
Dawn dish detergent for good measure and add another half cup of water.
The mixture does not kill all of them rigt away, but it will do them in in
about an hour with no smell...it probably destroys the protective layer on
the shell surface and they dehydrate.
Gene
11 Jan 2011, 00:09
11 Jan 2011, 00:09
Thanks for the honest talk and information you gave here - Ask the
terminator. I almost bought that book for $24 before I read your comments.
I really found your site helpful. Thank you.
anthony =NJ
14 Feb 2011, 23:06
14 Feb 2011, 23:06
carb cleaner 2+2 they sell at any auto parts store . yes it smell it but
works ,test first on floors walls it will remove paint.
Ask the Exterminator
15 Feb 2011, 09:05
15 Feb 2011, 09:05
Lots of different chemicals will kill stink bugs, but I don't recommend
using products that are not labeled as insecticides. Especially carb
cleaner!
sandy
28 Feb 2011, 20:34
28 Feb 2011, 20:34
i had one land on me and i felt something
and accidentally squished one on myself ugh! after washing the debris off and having that odor still there, i used vinegar and water 50/50 mix did the trick for the smell. All gone
and accidentally squished one on myself ugh! after washing the debris off and having that odor still there, i used vinegar and water 50/50 mix did the trick for the smell. All gone
Hilary Gayner
26 Apr 2011, 01:23
26 Apr 2011, 01:23
I just pick up shield bugs and toss em back into the garden! They are sap
suckers so they don't actually do any damage to the woodwork and I would
far rather throw out half a dozen shield bugs a day than have to deal with
the four wasp nests we had last year under the siding on the house!
michael RN
17 May 2011, 18:56
17 May 2011, 18:56
LIVING IN CLARKSBORO NJ, found that combo of 1/4 cooking oil (For
surfactant), 1/4 hot water, 1/4 blue dawn, and 1/4 bleach has killed any
bug hit with even a small drop of solution. Worst part is that you have to
hit the bug, looking forward to using blue dawn with spray solution on the
house next autumn.
Kath P.
23 May 2011, 13:22
23 May 2011, 13:22
My husband and I use a glue board attached to a pole. We slide the edge of
the glueboard just below where the shield bug is walking and it scrapes
them onto the board itself. When the board is full, we take a sheet of
plastic wrap and seal them in, then toss it. The shield bugs don't release
their scent because they just think they are on plant sap. A board can hold
about 30-40 shield bugs at a time.
We have noticed that they seem to be attracted to yellow/ light color siding and that the hot weather seems to drive them out. Can't wait until the local birds discover they are good to eat.
We have noticed that they seem to be attracted to yellow/ light color siding and that the hot weather seems to drive them out. Can't wait until the local birds discover they are good to eat.
