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Stink Bug Control

Summary: Will there ever be a product developed for stink bug control? Eventually, but the development process will focus on crop protection long before you ever find a can of stink bug spray on retail shelves.

First, let me start by saying that lots of people have had success with a product called Talstar Pro, available on this website. The stuff really works when sprayed on the outside of the house. It keeps them from crawling into entry cracks and crevices. I will also tell you that you should stock up on this product, as supplies run low when the stink bugs are at their worst.

Everyone asks “Is someone developing a cure for keeping stink bugs out of my home?” and the answer is and always will be “No! No chemical manufacturer is developing a product for the urban pest control market.” However, do not despair! You need to better understand how new chemicals are developed and how this system of development will provide relief somewhere down the road.

When NASA sends our astronauts into space with the latest and greatest technology, how many times have we, the general public, benefited from these technological advances? Too many to count is the correct answer. The space program has introduced ideas and finished products that populate our everyday world such as technology for computers, cell phones, medicine, air pollution, water purification systems, scratch-resistant lens, trash compactors, flat panel televisions, smoke detectors, the Dustbuster, solar energy, fire resistant materials, noise abatement products, breast cancer detection, programmable pacemakers, air tanks for firemen, self-righting life rafts, improved aircraft engines and the list goes on and on.

It is doubtful that only a few of the aforementioned products would have come to pass had it not been for our space program. Individually, no manufacturing company could undertake the enormous costs involved in the development of most of these products. What entrepreneur would risk a fortune to try to develop a self-righting life raft? Even if the idea was in place the end market would be so limited that sales would never cover the costs of development and manufacturing. But, NASA needed this raft for returning spacecraft that landed in oceans. We needed to protect our astronauts at any cost, so the government funded the research and development and the final ideas were given or sold to manufacturers. With research and development costs paid for by our taxes, manufacturers were willing to step forward to bring this product to market.

This same principle holds true for the development of a product or method to fight stink bugs. Regardless of how many people are suffering from stink bug invasions, it does not present a large enough market for chemical manufacturers to make the huge investment required to develop a product and go through the environmental registration process. It takes tens of millions of dollars to bring a new pesticide to market and even if every man, woman and child suffering from stink bugs bought a case of the product it still would not come close to being profitable for the manufacturers.

Crop research

It is interesting to note that there is only one, single pest control product that has ever been specifically developed solely for the pest control industry. Sentricon, a product for termite control, was the only pesticide product ever developed and brought to market just for the urban pest control industry. All other pesticides have been developed for agricultural crop protection and were re-labeled sometime after they were introduced, for use in our homes and businesses.

So, where is the light at the end of the tunnel? Actually, several universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are hard at work trying to discover the various weaknesses of the stink bug. Scientists are investigating the attractant pheromones of these bugs in the hopes of developing stink bug traps. Stink bugs are being screened for genes and proteins that can be engineered into crops that will suppress stink bugs, thus reducing the population explosion. There are some natural parasitic insects reachers are discovering that eat the eggs of the stink bug found in various field crops. The stink bugs are migrating from farm fields, so destroying the eggs at the source would help everyone.

All of this research will take time, but ultimately help will arrive and this plague, too, will pass.

Comments

Anne McCarthy
01 Mar 2010, 15:11

They're back. I'm in Potomac, MD and fall 2009 was the worst. I thought I would go mad. Hundreds and hundreds of them. And now it's started again. I don't know if I can take it. I realize they are now trying to leave the house but it doesn't help my psyche. I sprayed the entire house a few times last fall but may have begun too late. This year I plan to douse and douse starting in August. From what I read there's really no way to keep them at bay completely but if I have to relive the numbers this year I will go mad. I don't think moving is the answer since they seem to be invading all areas at a fast pace.

joe
02 Mar 2010, 18:57

they came over from the asia countries, we did nothing to stop them some years ago, now, the pest control company are having a field day with us,$$$ there is not much we can do just check for outside cranks along the foundation, window seal, attic. Just seal around the foundation, and windows and hope for the best! lol joe

Jake
03 Mar 2010, 00:21

I recently moved back home, and I am finding two or three stink bugs a day. The smell is awful, and it drives my mother crazy as well, but my dad doesn't notice (although it's possible this is just another method of his for making light of the problem). I keep a roll of toilet paper in my room and I just grab a few sheets, squish 'em and flush 'em. I'm relieved to learn that they can't breed indoors, but I would love a way to spray for them.

marg
04 Mar 2010, 00:18

Finally, I found somebody who is going through what I'm just now experiencing. My first episode was this morning. Sitting on my pillow was one of those creeping looking things. I squased it. Now I have it in a tissue and was going to take it to work to see if anybody knew what it was. Take a look at that armor it has. Geez! Please don't tell me that I'm now going to have a problem. How am I going to get some sleep?

Frank
04 Mar 2010, 22:22

Hi from western Loudoun County, VA. Fall 2008 was the first year they appeared. I though the numbers then were tremendous, but this past Fall we were so overwhelmed by these pests. They appear daily as soon as the afternoon sun hits our house. Our window screens literally get covered. They're everywhere searching for crevices on our house, shed, cars, RV. Outside I use a shop vac (dedicated to this task) to capture as many as I could reach. Inside, we capture them with tissues and flush them. We did our best to seal up, but I believe they still made it in, becuase they are increasingly appearing in our house. I thing they found entry through our attic. They have truly affect the quality of life we enjoyed here. I fear this season will be worse. Not enough is being done to stop these pests and it looks like they're here to stay. I've tested some pestisides, and the best I've found is ACE Indoor Fogger, whose active ingredient is Cypermethrin. This worked fairly well in my shed, garage, and RV... and I plan to use it in my attic, although I am not that keen on using such chemicals in my house. We need help.

Suzie
06 Mar 2010, 14:35

So glad I read this. These things are making me crazy. I live south of Pittsburgh. First started seeing them in the fall. I go a few day and don't see any and then they are back. Need to find a solution soon.

Kathi
07 Mar 2010, 11:03

I'm in Frederick County, MD, near Harper's Ferry/Loudoun County. I flushed 10 down the toilet last night from my bedroom. Last fall, they coated my screen door. How does one adjust to unwanted pets?

Marg
07 Mar 2010, 18:02

I live in Somerset, NJ. So far, I only saw one. My husband is taking the squashed bug to an exterminator. He's from Virginia and said that were there years ago.

Susanne
09 Mar 2010, 20:38

They are here in Southern New Jersey too. We find several each day, usually near windows or doors. Tonight we found 2 crawling on our living room floor. I am not usually creeped out by bugs, but these guys make me shutter. The noise they make when they buzz by your head is enough to make me scream, especially at night when I am in bed. Nothing has worked to get rid of them. We are totally creeped out by them and don't know what to do.....

Amaelia
11 Mar 2010, 04:27

let's be clear on one issue; the population of pennsylvania alone is pushing 13 million, and being that these little beasties seem to be popping up everywhere - and increasingly so - it would be a fallacy to state that even if every man, woman, and child (even just of pennsylvania) were to buy a can (not even a case!) of stinkbugicide, it would not cover the tens of millions of dollars it would cost to develop such a product. this is especially true considering stink bugs seem to be invading much of the eastern seaboard - and rapidly spreading elsewhere. in my opinion, manufacturers would be (*gasp!*) making an intelligent move by implementing such a product for commercial and/or residential use. as the stinkbug is (thus the name) stinky and likewise has no natural predators in these parts, it is highly, HIGHLY unlikely that this infestation will simply "pass." i first noticed them three years ago, and at this point in time (remember, it isn't even officially spring yet!) i can't even get out of bed, make a cup of coffee, or take a shower without encountering a stink bug.

Stinky Hater
17 Mar 2010, 22:52

The best way i have to deal with them is similar to a post above. I have HUNDREDS of these things in my house/room in the suburbs of Philadelphia. The best i can do is "damage control" i keep a beer bottle that is 1/3 full of 90% rubbing alcohol. when i see a stink bug on the wall i place the bottle just under the bug. 90% of the time they let go of the wall and fall right in. do not know if it is the alcohol fumes, or defense measure to drop from the wall when it senses something close. either way, they fall into the alcohol, i replace the screw off lid, and no smell, no fuse. well except for the fact that i can not find a more permanent solution. I think our problem is even worse due to the house being covered in ivy!

Susan
24 Mar 2010, 10:58

My friend developed a neat stink bug catcher - a broom handle with double-sided tape wrapped around one end. Just tap them with it - they stick to it and can't get off-then just set it outside until you need it again. They don't stink - it's beautiful, and so satisfying-we've gotten to the point where we make fun of them as we pass by! Just haven't figured out how to remove the tape ball full of stink bugs.

Julie
28 Mar 2010, 12:49

I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia also, and am having a huge problem. I thought they wouldn't have been a huge problem over the winter, but I was wrong. I have also heard they come from Asia, and I've read their only predator is the killer bee? To be honest, I'd take stink bugs over killer bees, but they are very annoying. I just flush them down the toilet when I see them. I also have a floor lamp with an upside down shade, and right now there are about 50 dead ones in there. I do keep that on a lot to lure them to the light, and it seems once they fall into the dome, the light bulb is too hot for them to get out. It's almost amusing to watch them try and climb out, and fall back in.

Co-jack
01 Apr 2010, 06:26

The best way to remove them is WD40 with a zippo taped to it... trust me. Wings don't like fire.

Kim
05 Apr 2010, 13:08

Another stink bug hater here from Loudoun County, Virginia. I have lived in northern VA my whole life and had never seen these awful pests until this past fall when they invaded our area like the plague. From July to October, the entire front of our house was covered in stink bugs. They were crawling and flying all over the siding, the screens, the doors, the garage. It was so bad that we could not even sit on our front porch and enjoy the beautiful weather or our gorgeous view. I looked like a mad woman running around with a broom trying to beat them off the house and beat them to death. It didn't work. They just came back. As careful as we were to keep doors and windows closed, they somehow got into the house. We would occasionally find a few of those devils during the winter near windows or the AC/heating vents. But in the last month, they have literally come out of the woodwork inside the house. I can't take it. I think they might just drive me officially bonkers. They are so gross and ugly. They look like something leftover from prehistoric times with their hard bodies. The way they fly around in their random dive bombing patterns is frightening. Someone, please help me. This war with the stink bugs has compromised my quality of life.

Pauline
05 Apr 2010, 18:48

Pauline: These are the comments I was referring to. Just like I said, if you look at these things closely, they look like they have armor on, like warriors. They are creepy looking things. I sure hope somebody does something, because I'm afraid, really afraid that there is going to be a real problem with these things.

Jennifer
05 Apr 2010, 21:00

I live in Tuscaroa right near Leesburg Va. and stink bugs invaded our home last year and stayed all winter. I kill upwards of 20 per day and find them in bed with me. It has ruined my life so much that there is no relaxing. Desparately need a break.

elizabeth
05 Apr 2010, 22:37

I also live in Loudoun County, Virginia and we are over-run with stink bugs on our farm. We kill at least dozens of them every day in the house. I've gotten to the point where I just catch them in my hand, throw them in the toilet and, when there are several in it, I flush them. Sometimes they stink, but not always. I read somewhere on the web that they leave their 'scent' on the outside of your house when they crawl on it and the scent attracts more of them to your home. Supposedly they can live for 2-3 years. They move outside in the summer but come back to your nice warm home when the weather starts to cool in the fall. I also read that there is something you can spray on the outside of your home to get rid of the scent. We stored our hammock on our screened porch over the winter and went to hang it up yesterday. When we unrolled it, there were hundreds of the beasts in it, a few dead but most still alive. We swept them into a dustpan and dumped them into the septic tank. God, I HATE them!

Pauline
06 Apr 2010, 10:38

I live in Plainfield, New Jersey and
I hate them too. I put one in a air-tight baggie, and that sucker is
still alive. I am going crazy behind these bugs and thought I was the
only one who had them until reading these comments. None of my neighbors
have mentioned anything about them - so I wonder if my house is the only
house that has them in our neighborhood in Plainfield. I'm sickened by
them.

Terrell
06 Apr 2010, 13:38

We live in Clarke County, VA--not too far from Loudoun where many of the previous posters are from. The stink bugs have been increasing in our house for a while now. I used to "relocate" them by catching them in something and releasing them outside. But after my experience last night, I am showing no mercy. I served myself a piece of ice cream pie, set it down on the coffee table for a moment, then came back and took my first bite. As you've probably guessed, it was my great misfortune to find that the peculiar texture in my mouth was stink bug! I spit it out, then proceeded to gargle and brush my teeth furiously. Still had the awful taste in my mouth. So I swirled a few shots of whiskey around. Then ate anything with lots of flavor--sour cream & onion chips, chocolate--and still could taste it. I am no longer treating these pests with any goodwill. They are the enemy--though it doesn't sound like we've developed good weapons to fight them. I guess the vaccuum is still the best defense, as long as we can put up with the odor. Ugh!

Nancy
06 Apr 2010, 15:30

I'm from Pittstown NJ & i kill at least 150 to 200 a DAY. I can't live like this anymore!!!!

shelly
07 Apr 2010, 09:58

I thought we were the only ones with it bad! We live in Arlington, VA - in a VERY URBAN area. We noticed these about a year ago, not sure of the season. I hate these things! We don't kill anywhere near the 150 - 200 a day - maybe 10 an evening. The clicking they make when they hit up against anything makes me jump and wakes me when sleeping. I received one of those pest control devices that is plugged into the wall, it seemed to work for about 2 or 3 days - I did not hear one stinkbug. Of course they have adapted - why wouldn't they? The only thing I have found that works is an antique iron - I just flatten them with it. I just clean it up and wait for the next one to land. I am either used to the odor or they don't have a chance to emit much of it. We do use a lot of scented candles. I notice them mainly at night when the lights or tv go on. I too feel like I am going crazy and feel very paranoid - just waiting for the next one to come fly by. Why can't they fly right? Also, my husband didn't notice them when I am away. Once I am back he notices them in our room again. I am breastfeeding my infant - does anyone think that I am emitting an "odor" that attacts them?

Stinks in South Jersey
07 Apr 2010, 15:23

Dude. Windows and attic vents arent the only place where they come from.. Have an air conditioner in your wall. thats where all of mine are coming from. Gotta get a new one soon or else im going to flip out and move.

Laura
07 Apr 2010, 16:21

I live in bedford, Va and I'm glad I found this website. At least I won't be the only one locked up in the looney bin for stink bug "madness". I collect them in old medicine bottles and dump in toilet. I'll have to try the alcohol spray. never encountered any in Pensacola, Fl. Might have to move back there.

Christina
07 Apr 2010, 17:24

I live in Bear, DE and we have them like CRAZY here! I noticed them about 2 years ago, but they are getting worse and worse each year. Where did they come from?? and why are they getting so bad? I don't remember having to deal with these things years ago, so why are they here now? My husband said whoever comes up with a way to get rid of these disgusting things is going to be rich! I had terminex treating my house on a regular basis b/c I can't stand any creepy crawly things and that's when I first started noticing them. The Terminex guy said there's nothing they can do about them. Because we live in a wooded area we're basically SOL! He just put himself out of a job. I cancelled my treatments after that news.

Sharon
07 Apr 2010, 17:37

I live in Hunterdon county and I can't stand these stink bugs anymore. It seems this year were getting more than last year. Me and my husbands bedroom we get more than any other room in our home. We are getting new thermal windows in all our rooms and maybe that will help. We haven't been able to sleep in our bed for the past couple of nights. Thank god we have another bedroom. I hope someone comes up with a solution soon. I'm going crazy with bugs. One got in my hair yesterday. ugh!

Gary
07 Apr 2010, 21:37

I'm in Columbia, MD and have been killing on average about one per day in my townhouse for a few weeks. Tonight I've killed 6... this is a disturbing trend. Odd that my next door neighbors are not having any trouble. Then again, they have cats so maybe the cats are eating the bugs. Anybody know if that's a solution?

Ginger
07 Apr 2010, 23:36

I'm going to the looney bin as well. There is no sense in this. Scientist have invented so many pesticides, medicines, etc, etc. But they can't figure out a way to kill a stink bug. Give me a break. At this rate they will outnumber us soon, if they don't already. I can just see these thing driving around and ruling the world soon. Maybe if you move to one of the colder states up north they won't bother you. But I live in Central Virginia and these things are out of control. I do believe they like white houses, my house is white and they are all over it. My papa's house is brick and tey do not bother it. Makes no sense. But I swear if I find one more of the thing crawling on me i will go ballistic.

David
08 Apr 2010, 00:45

i cant stand this. im a 15 year old living with my family outside of philidelphia. it seems like these things only go to my room. whether i hear them smacking into my walls, or feel one crawling on me at night, it is the scariest, and most disgusting thing i have going for me right now. i flush atleast 20 a day and i dont have any friends over anymore cause im embarrased. someone please help me!

jeremy and anlicia
08 Apr 2010, 01:23

me and my gf live in reading pa and we live in an apartment on the 3rd floor. there is also another floor in the apartment which is our bedroon is in the attic. i guess they hide in the winter inside our walls and celling.today it was 90 degrees out and i think they are trying to leave but the only way out is thru our home. today i broke the record i killed 22 stink bugs and flushed all them down the toillet. this is annoying and also tiring. everytime we go to another room theres a stink bug... some help us plz....

RArnold
08 Apr 2010, 08:23

What is needed is for a collection of information as to what attracts them so a lure a favorite item can be placed to capture the stinkers. With all the observations out there what lures them to an item? We have the mass of a team, all we need to do is organize it.

Help - What attracts them?

Monique
08 Apr 2010, 13:48

I have put both of my cats to work. They are on stink bug patrol all day but of course they get tired and take long siestas in the afternoon. Cats can help but not all the time. I am still looking for the solution.

Tired of El Stinko
09 Apr 2010, 06:42

Every day I am killing stink bugs. My husband flushed one the other day and the thing crawled back out, does their outside armor act as a scuba suit also???. The family cat will not even get near them. I am going to try the alcohol thing if this doesn't work guess I'll get myself some alcohol.

Gary
09 Apr 2010, 08:18

Tired said: "I am going to try the alcohol thing if this doesn't work guess I'll get myself some alcohol."

"Alcohol...now there's a temporary solution." - Homer Simpson.

:-)

Kelly
10 Apr 2010, 22:53

I live in Central NJ and have an investation of them. We have an annual contract with Pest Control and they come out and spray but it seems to bring more of them. We just keep flushing them down the toilet like they told us too. It is gross when you are trying to relax and watch tv and they are dive bombing you and landing on your face! No one seems to know what to do about these bugs. Our pest guy came out again today and said they DEP is working on something. What and for how long before we get it. I can not believe that they can not figure out how to kill this particular bug. I call them the dinosaur bug because of their hard armour shell and they have survived through everything.

Jennifer
10 Apr 2010, 23:16

Cold front came thru and for whatever reason a one day reprive. No stinks for 36 hours. where did they go and more importantly when will they return. I can't wait. I almost miss them. STINK BUGS RULE!

Jeff
12 Apr 2010, 06:28

Dawn dish soap and water mix works well for me, I have wiped the walls down, and keep a bottle to grab up the ones inside on the walls. They seem to die instantly upon hitting the water in the bottle, unlike flushing....

Miriam
12 Apr 2010, 09:57

OK. SO apparently we all have a similar issue but myself, like a poster above, have never noticed a smell of any kind. BUt, I sleep in the attic and that is where they seem to be found most of the time. I hear them flying around as I sit in bed reading. I let one out last night and immediately there was another smack against the attic walls. I get them in my kitchen too but mostly they are in the attic.
At this point I think they LIVE in my house. I have had so many this year I don't think they are coming from the outside. BUt, from what I have read sealing all the cracks I can find to prevent their re-entry come fall is what I should focus on. Vents, I can't do a thing with vents.
I am also hesitant to use soapy water. I have tried that approach on other invaders in the past with no luck at all.

linda
12 Apr 2010, 17:32

what a pain these things are. i live in south jersey and they're in every room of my house.
they sleep with us every nite. when i put my head down on the pillow i can smell them thru the pillow. then the hunt begins, cause i have lots of pillows on my bed. they dive bomb me in my bed, sounds like a tiny jet plane.
my grand son has 14 hess trucks around the window area, on shelves in his room, they love to live inside them. when i clean his room i bang the trucks on the dresser and they fall out, 5 or 6 per truck.
will nothing stop the infestation of these creeps? i grab them with a heavy paper towel, crush them and trash them. if the towel isn't heavy enough then my hands stink for hours no matter how well i wash them. eeeewww!! i hate these things.
i'm glad i read these notes tho cause now i know not to waste my money on an exterminator for these pests cause it dosn't work.

Gina
14 Apr 2010, 12:58

So glad I found this page !!! We live in
Sharpsburg, Maryland, in a wooded area. EEVERYONE we know here has them, including US !!! I HATE THEM !!! They appeared about 3 years ago. Every time I open a drawer, move a curtain, open a cupboard or closet, there they are ! We vaccuum them with a long wand attachment daily, usually dozens per day ! It is DISGUSTING !!!! It is enough to make a sane person go MAD !!!

Josephine
15 Apr 2010, 12:41

I'm from Central N.J. and I just found 7 alone in my living room (alive and dead). Also to those who squash them -- I heard this is not a good idea as the stink attracts their buddies so you'll have even more. Rutgers University is doing research on these stinkers and asks for specimens if anyone is interested (hopefully they'll find a solution).

J B
19 Apr 2010, 23:39

I'm from central MD and I just had my first one dive-bomb by my head. It freaked me out! Now I'm nervous to even sleep in my own room, which appears to be the only one where these disgusting things are in the house. Do they bite or just stink? Duct taping around my windows is looking really tempting right about now...

Joseph G. Hollman
20 Apr 2010, 22:05

What can I use to kill/terminate these stink bugs.

fefe
21 Apr 2010, 21:10

We're here in Woodbridge, and the suckers we come across don't make any smell when we sqoosh them. When I first saw my first few, I thought I'd followed the teachings of Buddha. I took them out and set 'em free. But years and almost hundreds found indoors, I am now the Ayatollah of stinkbugs.

Mysteriously, they continue to show up only in one bedroom. All the other adjacent bedrooms are free of it.

It's cold comfort to hear people who are normally not bothered by bugs creeped out by stinkbugs. I tried to analyze why this is so. I think it's their 1) silent presence 2) difficulty to kill 3) large armored, tank-like shell. Forgetting to turn off the light one night, I drifted off to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night to see four of them hanging out like dudes at a bar staring at me. I almost broke my nose running and screaming straight into a closed door.

I like the double sided tape on a broomstick solution. Ultimately, the best defense is to be prepared to see them. Everytime I enter the room, my frame of mind is "here we go again." There's no way to live and I understand it degrades the quality to life.

A friend who is a bug lover, once brought them out of my house by hand. This year, even he is waxing philosophical with a brisk "KILL THEM ALL!"

Jen in Hamilton, NJ
24 Apr 2010, 21:56

You just can not make this stuff up. I spent the day away from my house for 3 hours so the exterminator could set off a fogger. 1 hour upon my return one stink bug flew into my hair. Another one was on the sink and then another in the hall. I paid $133 ($125 plus tax). The exterminator assured me that this would fix it. What a joke!! I am seriously considering selling my home. I cannot handle this at all and would be willing to pay a lot of money for a fix. Someone must help us!!

Jill
26 Apr 2010, 22:10

I am in Charlottesville VA. We are definitely infested. My observations are as follows. They are attracted to warm sunny spots. I find them in my laundry room where I store sheets and towels, hibernating in-between them. And in the bedroom that has a pull down attic door to the attic. This room is also a warm sunny room. It is getting to the point that it is hard to be in the room because there are so many of them, and they keep on coming. I think they are in the attic. I too am relieved to hear they do not breed in the house. I hope this is true.

Drew
27 Apr 2010, 15:02

I've found that flypaper works, if you don't mind having flypaper hanging from your ceiling with a bunch of these miserable bugs stuck to it.

Scot
01 May 2010, 22:38

Yep, we have the same problem in Germantown, MD. Killing 10-20 per day and could kill more.

Fly paper is creepy but it sounds like it works. The main point everyone is making is that the stink bugs are attracted to a scent. Sounds very similar to the June Bug. We need some Stink Bug scent - whatever that is - and a simple trap they can get stuck in. So, scientists, lets get to making some stink bug scent. We need help and it looks like there is a market.

Let me try June Bug scent....just on the off chance....

Rockmelon
01 May 2010, 23:30

I almost cried as I was reading your comments! I thought I was over reacting because they are literally ruining my life. I constantly feel like I have them crawling on me. Last night, in my bedroom I picked 35 of them off the walls and curtains. They also leave like a cigarette stain on the sheers. I can smell them all over the house and I'm afraid that maybe I have picked up this smell on my clothes. Or possibly the stink lives in my nostrils.

My husband said that there are thousands of them in our attic behind the insulation. Then he left town for a month and I have to deal with them.

I've been watching my vents to see if this is where they are entering my bedroom but haven't yet caught them. They just seem to 'appear'! I hear them hitting the screens and I'm praying that they are outside trying to get in.....

I don't think moving is a solution because they are all over Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, D.C. and Virginia and will eventually appear in every state of the union.

It's just like the movie, The Birds.

Laurie
02 May 2010, 10:33

I live in Loudoun County too and we've had stink bugs for several years now. Mostly ours come down the chimney! We have a double sided fireplace so last winter we actually had to tape it up completely! There were hundreds of them on the inside of the glass! (At the time the gas logs weren't working but we've since had that fixed). Now that it's warm they are still coming in that way, so I've been putting the fireplace on daily for a little while. Hate to do it when it's 90 degrees out! Watch your car door jams too! They love that little hiding place!

fgg
02 May 2010, 10:48

I live in Howard County MD and have had these nasty things in my condo since last fall. I've tried sealing cracks around windows and doors with no luck. I'm going to try that new Raid Bug Barrier spray around the outside of my place to see what it does. I absolutely REFUSE to get an exterminator ~ that means a day boarding my cat and me out of the house..I REFUSE TO LET THESE NASTY THINGS WIN!!!

Ask the Exterminator
02 May 2010, 12:09

Revisit your "sealing" work. I like using a new product called Xcluder. It's easy to use and inexpensive. Look it up on the web.

Diane
02 May 2010, 22:11

Use a Bugzooka to get them. Search it on line. It is a suction device that works great-even makes it fun. We bought a 2nd for our upstairs. They are driving me crazy too. I started seeing them over 15 years ago, maybe 1 or 2 during the winter. Now we catch 20-30 per day. Bombing our attic sort of helped, but we were bombing it every 2-3 weeks. Sincd we've stopped, they are going crazy again.

Bert
03 May 2010, 08:02

I too have never been bothered by bugs, except maybe cicada killers a few years ago. These little pests are freaky though.

Ronni
04 May 2010, 10:57

I've searched for Xcluder, but only come up with products for machines. I tried adding sealing product to it, but still no luck. Is this sold in Home Depot or Lowes?

Joyce
04 May 2010, 15:51

I live outside of Winston-Salem NC and they are awful. Had them last year, and now they are back with a vengance. I keep a spray bottle of dish det and water on hand at all time. This seems to penetrate their armor or something and they die. Then you have to sweep up the bodies, yuck!

David
06 May 2010, 11:35

I live in Rockville md and we are experiencing an epic infestation. This problem has been building for a few years at our house. This seems to be there "breakout" year. We vacuum approximately 50/day. We purchased bug lights to hang in the house, attic, and garage. We replaced the black light type bulb with a brighter standard flouresent bulb (they are attracted to light). We then removed 95% of the safety protective plastic grid (not safe if you have children) so the clumsily flying stinkers can have a direct flight path to the electric shock wire ( I call it the promise land). This kills them by the hundreds. It is too early to tell if we are making any headway. We won't know for probably a couple of years. Good-luck.

Jane
20 May 2010, 14:50

I will share with you what we have done to practically elimate them from our home. It takes some doing but there is no way around it. First, you MUST screen every possible point of entry inside the home (vents, fixtures, etc). Bathroom vents are a MUST - make sure that every hole on the sides of the vents (when the fixture is removed) in the bathroom are taped. These suckers are in your attic and inside your walls. They come in from the basement so make sure all of your floor vents are screened. We went from seeing several inside a day to almost ZERO - maybe one every couple of weeks. Also, if there is space between your screens and the and sides of the screen casing, that space must be taped with some sort of weatherproof tape. I also caulked the spaces in between my porch ceiling slats. If you have a porch attached to your home you have to figure out how they can get in there aside from the door and caulk caulk caulk. My husband told me I was nuts making him screen everything but he sure is happy now. Also, Home Depot sells a Hot Shot Product in little blue vials which contains "Cymethprene" - this stuff kills them. Be aware that they breathe through their belly so spraying them on their back is not as effective as spraying on their belly. I have used Dawn which will kill ME less quickly than the Hot Shot - but it kills them less quickly also - Hot Shot works better. There is also a substance that make the Hot Shot more sticky to surfaces so ask the folks at Home Depot for some of that as well and add it to the mixture. The vials are concentrated so you mix it with water. Second, these things come back to any place where the bugs have left a scent so DONT SQUASH THEM EVER - even vacumming is no good. I was flushing them but what a waste of water. Now I take them in a tissue and make sure they can't escape and light them and throw them in fireplace.
I will spray the outside of my house with Cymetheprene if they start showing up in droves. They will just go elsewhere... Hope this is helpful.

tracey
05 Jun 2010, 17:57

hot shot works wonderful home depot has it. You hang it up like an airfreshner
went from 10 or more a day to one maybe once a month it cost about 7 dollars I have them on each floor and garage too..

Jeff Monroe
27 Jun 2010, 13:12

I live in Westfield NY an I got them in my garden last year and they killed almost everything. I just noticed them this year also already. how do I get rid of them?

Ask the Exterminator
28 Jun 2010, 10:51

You need to be careful about stuff you spray on a garden. You can try a soap and water spray or you can try a product called Eco Exempt IC-2 sold at http://shop.asktheexterminator.com.

Thomas Luedeke
12 Aug 2010, 18:15

I live in Amherst County, VA. The stink bugs were unbelievable last year. At the end of September, there were hundred if not thousands on the side of my house. I killed probably no less than 20 per day inside from October through May (and maybe even June).

This year will be worse - everywhere I look there are young stinkbugs. I have two rhododendrons that have thousands on the plant - there are leaves with 5-6 per leaf.

God, what a nightmare.

Melanie
23 Aug 2010, 11:28

I, too, live in Western Loudoun Cty, VA. In a stone house, so the bugs can get in around the stones...it's impossible to completely seal. We get literally thousands of them on the outside of the house in Sept/Oct. Then we clean up hundreds inside the house almost every day all winter until April. It's just awful...I hate it. We do also manage to KILL thousands of them. We spray Cypermethrin (buy the concentrate online) on the exterior, around windows, porch, everywhere. Then we dust the attic spaces with Deltamethrin dust. It does kill alot of them, but there are so many that many survive. I've found that Adams Flea and Tick mist (blue bottle at the pet store) is good as a quick knock-down spray, but it's not good for large numbers.
MISERY LOVES COMPANY...glad we aren't the only ones suffering. argh

Laurie
23 Aug 2010, 11:30

They're baaaaaack!!!!

Ask the Exterminator
23 Aug 2010, 11:31

Please buy your stink bug products from my website at http://shop.asktheexterminator.com. I would appreciate your business.

Kara
26 Aug 2010, 00:28

We're in Jefferson Co., WV, and they are back with a vengeance. Having read some of these posts, I'm terrified of the coming fall when they try to get inside. We haven't found that many in the house this year, but I'm seeing more and more congregating on the outside of the house and windows, and they're all over the plants and trees. There seem to be a lot more of them this summer; does this mean there will be even more next year? They are ruining the quality of life in this area - someone help us!

Hank Bell
03 Sep 2010, 14:34

This is my third year and none of the major exterminators will guarantee elimination or death of stink bugs. Korea or some other country must have an answer. they come from that area of the world.

Scared to Death
05 Sep 2010, 20:03

I live in Roanoke, Virginia, and have been attending college here for the past four years. Through 2007-summer 2009, I never even knew what a stink bug was, but once I moved into the older dorms, all hell broke loose. I am a huge insectophobe, but spiders have NOTHING on these horrors known as stink bugs! I even dread when the night falls because I know I have to turn on the lights, and why do these pests seemingly only come into MY room?!

Everything about them is creepy. Their ugly bodies. The strange BZZZZZZT noise they make when they fly. The smacking sound as they land. And the fact that nature made them so resilient. Hard amoured bodies, waxy exterior, can't crush em or they'll smell... I got to the point where I can't even sleep at night because I'm always looking out for them on my walls.

Someone really needs to find a way to get rid of these varmints. As for me, next year I'm moving back into the (newer) freshman dorms. Upper classman housing is not worth my sanity!

Thomas
06 Sep 2010, 23:04

I live in Manassas Va . From what i have observed they are increasing in numbers > ican't stand them, all winter I find them inside , and they have already begun to show up in greater numbers then in the past . i have researched on the internet , if you kill them inside they leave some kind of smell that attracts more . If they get in your walls they leave a smell that attracts more > if you can seal up your house as best you can which seems impossible enough to stop them . i am trying differnt approaches . i ahve put dark coverings over my windows that have light at night . I will spray the wall outside of my house each week for several weeks > I will use a bug zapper in the back of my yard to i hope atttract them there where they will be zapped . Next year I will plant some repellant type of plants close to my house > I also use a bottle of soapy water to catch them in, but I think water by itself would do the trick,because they will drown without the soap anyway . if you vacume them they will leave the stink in your vacume that will attract more .I have device I bought to catch wasp and yellow jackets . I wonder if I put some fruit they like in there would the stinkers go in there and get trapped,. I will consider this all out war and I will try everything to stop them. If we dont stop them they will over run us in few years. I went to work oneday and a customer said I hate to tell you this , but you have a bug on your shoulder> i flicked it off and it was a stink bug

RJ
16 Sep 2010, 15:31

I am seeing way too many of these bugs on my screen porch this year. Last winter I had a few in the house. One dropped into my ear while I was sleeping when I lifted the sheet over my head. Freaked me out and I tore my bedroom apart the following day but couldn't find a single bug. Based on the number swarming outside my house I know it's going to get worse inside this winter. Something needs to be done real soon to kill these things off...

Andrea
17 Sep 2010, 16:32

Here we go again! Stink Bug invasion! Ugh! Just got done killing 5 in my bedroom by the window and there are a slew of them crawling <shudder> outside the screens. NASTY!!! I just freaked out and started spraying the suckers with Lysol with bleach. They fell on the floor and I quickly and squimishly picked them up with a tissue very gingerly as to not squash them and scampered to the toilet with my eyes tightly shut. BLECH!

Bryan
22 Sep 2010, 13:41

THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!!!!! I kill @ least 30-40 per day! and there are hundreds more outside sitting on the aluminum siding!! I've found that pure amonia kills them although you almost have to drwn them in it.... THIS IS CRAZY!!! I cant believe ther isnt a preventative spray or insecticide that will kill these things!! AND WHO IS THE GENIOUS WHO ACCIDENTLY INTRODUCED THESE THINGS HERE??

Ken Stockton
22 Sep 2010, 13:57

I have found that you roll out duct tape and make it like an old time fly paper roll that the Stink Bugs finally will make their way to the tape and the rest is history. Try it and replace everyday

Jes
22 Sep 2010, 17:47

We live in Middletown, NJ. I had never seen stinkbugs before in my life until we moved here last summer. As everyone else, I find them gross, but not knowing much about them, I would set them free vs. killing them. I spent my entire summer doing that and getting my kids to do it, too. So much for compassion! I noticed that some had survived the winter in my home and I decided to look them up on Rutgers University-Entymology Dept. only to discover they are OFFICIAL PESTS. Since they conduct a study on these ilk pests, I sent in some samples. Even keeping them in sandwich bags, as someone else mentioned does NOT kill them. Flying insect spray purchased at a local store does NOT kill them immediately, and we're subjected to watching a long and agonizing death (one which we have LEARNED to enjoy, I might add.) I came close to signing a contract with a pest control company with a hefty $$$ last week, but after my additional research- I no longer think it is worth it.

familyof6instix
22 Sep 2010, 17:53

This year is absolutely awful. They do not like water but as soon as you stop spraying them they come back. I have tried just regular Ant & Roach spray and that seems to scatter and kill them out of their hiding places. I am in Harpers Ferry WV and they are coming out in armies here. Especially on warm sunny days.

Ask the Exterminator
22 Sep 2010, 22:48

Everyone is having tremendous success with a product called Talstar Pro. You can get it by clicking on "Pest Control Products" at the top of this page. It really works.

Ron
23 Sep 2010, 06:38

I've researched an found that THEY LIVE FOR 2 YEARS !!! They hibernate during the cold weather. Where? Anywhere they can get into or near the warmth of your house. Told that means soffits, under your siding, and inside your home if they can get there. As noted by some, they are in you attic. I'm going to try and to rid myself of them using products and techniques posted earlier. Thanks for the many good tips. Last resort will be ORKIN or VIKING Pest Control.

Frank
23 Sep 2010, 10:52

The solution must be in the form of a substantial counter attack, because their increasing numbers coupled with their natural abilities to mark territories for future swarms and lack of natural preditors. They have invaded, migrated, but now it seems they are here to stay. I won't spend my otherwise lovely fall days trying to control them and defend my home; it is just a battle I can't win, and I am concerned over the extensive use of chemicals. The scientist must come up with the following: #ONE a trap that attracts them more strongly than their own secretions. These are not intelligent creatures, they act on natural instincts. Use their own natural secretions to create a trap that naturally drives them to the trap. I'll buy that. #TWO poison them where they carry it and spread to other stink bugs (like the ant traps) to kill or sterlize them to prevent reproduction. They have a two year life cycle with a one year/seasonal behavior. If we don't interrupt this cycle, we are doomed. Where are the scientists? It's time to restore the quality of our lives. Don't give me this 'just seal and spray' crap. I say ATTACT (intelligently) !!!

David Ward
23 Sep 2010, 13:44

Here's in western Loudoun County, VA were are now killing over 2,000 bugs each day using a square plastic bucket and some liquid soap. We flick them into the bucket using a paint brush where they die instantly. Only about a dozen a day get in the house, but it's still 90 D outside. This is worse than last year. All items in the attic are in plastic tubs.

Judy Ashley
23 Sep 2010, 16:12

OMG they are invading my home too! I have Used Hot Shot Ant and Roach spray, stopping a lot of them, I have bought this cheap stuff from the Dollar store stopping a lot of them, but they are still coming! Because I have sprayed the sprays around the doors and windows I find a lot of dead or dying ones around windows and doors, but they are coming in a lot thru my window A/C units! I turn on the units and hear a a thumping sound, and POOF there's a stink bug IN the room!
What can be done to stop these things!???

Aaron
23 Sep 2010, 16:18

While I sympathize with you all and our shared stink bug plague, it doesn't seem like you all are having the problem quite at the level I am.. Yes, it's irritating having to flush them down the toilet in 2's or 5's, but I have HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of them. Literally. I have a barn/workshop in Lucketts, VA and it is COMPLETELY infested. The N and W walls of the barn outside are covered with thousands upon thousands of them. I tried attacking the hundreds that were inside on the ceiling with a shop vac and ended up pulling down a piece of insulation with the vac. There were THOUSANDS just in a huge pile under it all falling down on my head. Every time I open my truck door, there are 20 or 30 in the door jamb that all fly inside the truck. I've sprayed 2 entire cans of Raid around just one double door, they don't even care. I can't even work in the shop without them constantly dive bombing me and landing in my hair. This is a VERY serious problem for me. So, you guys keep on picking up the errant stink bug with your tissues while holding your noses, I'll be ripping out insulation having hundreds at a time dumping on my head. Cheers.

John Hedrick
23 Sep 2010, 16:22

I Live in Wellsville, Ohio I am now Officially a Massive Stinkbug Hater! These Darn thing's are invading my House inside and Out! You Mean to tell me in One Year these thing's just all of the sudden Appear? Come on, That is the biggest crock of ___ i have ever Heard! I Have tried Rubbing Alcohol,Dishwashing Liquid,Tobbaco,Mouthwash,Hair Straightener, etc,etc on these thing's and some of it don't even Phase this Nuisance! The only thing that has worked somewhat is Using 12 crushed up Ciggarettes,and 60 drops of dawn dishwash Liquid,and water. Shake it up well and use a spray Bottle to squirt them. Also let ferment 15-20minutes before usingand run this mixture through a coffee filter before putting it in the spray bottle. Doesn't Kill them fast but does work a few minutes after spraying them. Sombody has to have a spray that kills on contact without using a flamable retardant.

donna franz
23 Sep 2010, 17:46

I live is sw pennsylvania and this is the worst year ever for these darn bugs.We have a monthly exterminating service and thus far we have never had a problem inside the house.I hope this year won't be any differant.They have ruined the outdoor experiance for me and in fact i just got out of the shower because one was on my back and i accidently hit it.My exterminator comes tomorrow and i plan to make sure he blasts the outside of my house.The info about lights and and anything else i read here will be brought to his attention.I do know a wet paper towel is a way to squish them without a smelly mess.Today i was vengeful and squished the one that was on me with a clorox wipe.I am so relieved to find out i am not the only one freaked out by these pests!

rcgr
23 Sep 2010, 21:02

I'm in Charlottesville, VA and these stink bugs are causing me so much anxiety my friends think I'm nuts! I've not seen anything like the infestation of this season. These bugs are literally covering the side of buildings and doors. Flying in any direction, unpredictable. They are in my car, which could be deadly going 60 mph on the highway. Now I find they bite???? I appreciate everyone's suggestions. I will buy Telstar Pro from the exterminator and put duct tape around my door to catch some of them before they can get inside. I also think of "The Birds" movie. I cannot imagine it getting worse than it is. I thought Kudzu was invasive... I won't be growing tomatoes next year so I don't attract them that way. I'd love to hear if anyone knows of some plants they might avoid (marigolds? lavender?)

hyap
23 Sep 2010, 23:53

Im in Monmouth Junction, NJ (next to Princeton) killed about 7 today. oh! what a pain! I sealed off my window. but if i still have more, i'm going to seal off my A/C wall unit. they are gross! someone made a good point about unnecessary flushing is not good for water conservation. that's what i've been doing - but going to rethink that.

Pete
24 Sep 2010, 09:43

We are in Warrenton, VA and are having the same problem. Yesterday, I sprayed all the openings where they were hanging around and might be getting in the house with Ortho Home Defense Max. This morning, there are dozens of dead stink bugs lying on the ground below where I sprayed and very few in the sprayed area. You can buy the stuff at Home Depot. It doesn't kill them right away but it will kill them in a short while. Happy hunting. PS We also found that they love to hide behind pictuers hanging on the wall.

Doug
24 Sep 2010, 11:21

in winchester, VA..here is what i have found, I sealed every possible entrance, sprayed the outside of the house and yard with pesticide, still they relentlessly come back.. How u may ask? well i noticed them coming thru my AC units now.. SUCKS!

I went searching and found them hiding in and under blankets, behind curtains, in my dresser drawers, and all in numbers. These things hide anywhere. be sure to check everywhere.. till next time .. im off to develop something to kill ALL these bastards!!

terrified in pa
25 Sep 2010, 03:20

i have had a few friends tell me how to stop them and kill them i havent tried them yet but i am going to the store tomoro to buy spray bottles so i can try the two suggestions (the other no spray bottle is needed)
1. mix clorox, dish soap, and windex mixed together and spray around windows and door frames and on the floor around doors.
2. spray them w. pinesol.
3. praying mantis.

i will be trying the first two but i am not going out and finding a praying mantis. im terrified of bugs and that would be just one more bug to worry about but my friend said he saw a praying mantis eat 3 in under 30 seconds.!

kenny
25 Sep 2010, 12:12

We have a large home, and it's impossible to seal every possible entry point. Best solution is to buy many rolls of masking tape, and collect the bugs as you see them, getting them stuck to the tape, but don't squish them since the smell attracts more of them. Just throw them in the waste can on the masking tape so they cannot escape. On some days, we get rid of a hundred, but most of the time, far less. Eventually they go away. At night, leave one light on, and they will all go to that light. Have your masking tape ready, and get all of them. They don't fly away as you try to tape them.

Karen
25 Sep 2010, 12:45

Terrified in Pa. you do not mix windex and clorox. That forms a gas that could suffocate you. We have them very bad here in Maryland. They won't hurt you but they sure make you itch just knowing they are in the house. I looked behind my curtains in my bedroom and they were totally covered.

Steve
25 Sep 2010, 12:59

Hi, I know this sounds crazy, but I found out, quite by accident, that stink bugs do not like the apple/cinnamon incense.
I used to get them in my home, but now they stay away from the inside and I think, and the operative word is THINK, that the incense keeps them away.
I tried to prove this theory by lighting some apple/cinnamon incense and taking it outside, then holding it under the nasty little creatures, and yes, some of them did fly away. Others, I'm soory to say, just crawled to a different part of the structure.
Give it a try and let me know.

Brad
25 Sep 2010, 13:42

Aaaah! Im damn near suicidal with these stink bugs!I cant do anything outside without beening bothered b theses stinkn things!I live in Union Bridge,MD and we're losing it.Nothing works!Seem like they're all waiting for the door or garage door to open.When the doors are close, they're no where tobe seem but soon as the doors open, they swarm for the house!HEEEELP!

Steve PW VA
26 Sep 2010, 13:37

I am in Prince William county Virginia and would like to report early results of a successful eradication effort.
Yesterday I used a product called Maxide Dual Action which I found at Lowes. I can’t claim to have chosen this product from a position of knowledge, the label listed several hard shell beetles, but I bought it because it was on the clearance shelf.
Any estimate of the numbers of stink bugs on our property would just be a WAG so I will just say that they are pervasive. The clematis, maple trees, garden, and shrubs are covered with them. Inside we have been getting 10 – 15 per day, now that the nights are cooler; I collect them in a plastic zip bag with a little dish soap and water in the bottom.
The Maxide, I used, is a hose end application and yesterday when I went out to spray there were several hundred stink bugs on the south and north sides of the house. When sprayed many of the stink bugs would drop off the house and some would fly away. On the plants there would be a cloud of bugs taking flight when sprayed. Within an hour of application we started seeing many more stink bugs in the house. I interpreted this behavior as a flight response from the external application.
I just did a walk around the house, 24 hours after application, and the kill rate seems to be very high. The very few which I found still alive seem to be lethargic and unwilling to fly when harassed. As I walk the yard I do see some in flight but I suspect those came from higher in the trees where I could not reach.
I am headed back to the store to get enough for a repeat application this fall and to have some on hand for application in early spring.

Janett
27 Sep 2010, 08:43

Of course! I read this weekend about how stink bugs CAN and will "sting" you...and guess what happens this AM?! I went to plug my blow dryer in, and there was one hiding between the prongs of the plug. MAN that HURT! And it felt exactly like it was explained here - like a needle prick! The bugger even drew blood!

Of course, I couldn't find where I had flung him off to. I will have my work cut out for me this PM trying to locate and exterminate him.

There is a "colony" of SB in my window. It would've been impossible to get them out without letting them inside the house, so I've trapped them using a well-taped bag...also taped up the window. Obviously I missed one :(

ESK
27 Sep 2010, 12:23

I also heard about Talstar which this sight sells. Unfortunately, no one mentions if it safe for kids and pets to be around it. I know most pesticides, once dried, are safe but this one doesn't say.Anyone know?

Clicking on the "ask the exterminator" link above does not work.

Ask the Exterminator
27 Sep 2010, 13:29

This site certainly does tell you that it is pet safe when dry. You just didn't read far enough. And, the "Ask the Exterminator a Question" link does work! You were clicking on the page title which is not a link. Website 101.

Pete
27 Sep 2010, 16:59

Halyomorpha/BMSB coming indoors in droves on sunny days here near Hamilton, VA. Dilute solution (1/1000-1/10,000 v/v) of "Dawn" dish detergent seems to kill them but only if sprayed on ventral side. Hypothesis is that it is triclosan, added to detergent as anti-bacterial, is the anti-BMSB active agent. EPA website confirms triclosan has insecticidal activity. Stay tuned.

gloria
30 Sep 2010, 00:21

SO GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE, I WILL TRY SOME OF THE PROUDUCTS THAT WERE MENTIONED AND HOPE IT HELPS ME AND MY FAMILY. I FEEL LIKE I'M A PRISONER IN MY OWN HOME, LOOKING AT THE WALLS AT NITE, ONE WAS CRAWLING ON THE TV LAST NITE AT 2 AM!! IT TOOK ME ONE HR TO FIND IT AFTER HITTING IT AND MISSING,WHEN I DID FIND IT AND KILLED IT, IT WAS 3 AM!!! I WAS SO TIRED TODAY FRM LACK OF SLEEP. THERE ALL OVER MY PORCH, HOUSE SIDING,SCREENS, GARAGE,THEY"RE EVEN IN THE STORES ON THE CLOTHES!!! AMAZING HOW THE U.S. CAN FIND SOLUTIONS FOR MORE COMPLICATED THINGS, BUT NOT FOR THESE CREEPY CREATURES . I HOPE THIS IS A "SHORT TERM " PROBLEM AND CAN BE RECTIFIED SOON!! IT'S MIDNITE AND I WANT TO SLEEP BUT SCARED TO TURN THE LITE OFF,FOR FEAR THEY WILL BE CRAWLING ON ME

John Hedrick
30 Sep 2010, 11:30

Add 1 part water,1 part Vinagar, 1 part dawn dishwashing liquid together shake it up really good. Then spray the little suckers with it(Outside use only)
Also remove your air conditioners from
the window and spray some inside the vents and watch them flow out of your air conditioner's by the hundreds! As they come out spray them and kill them!

Good Luck!

Don Lowe
30 Sep 2010, 17:10

Place vegtable oil into a small glass and and without smashing them, drop them in. They die almost immediately.

daryl
08 Oct 2010, 19:35

the only good solution i have found is i keep a old kirby vacuum with the hose attachment on my porch plugged in. coming and going i suck them up. the fan is large and kills them instantly when they are sucked up. it does smell but at least for the most part i have no bugs in my house.

Teriann
09 Oct 2010, 13:35

So desperately I tried to the Dawn / water solution and it is working!!! Thank you!! I added 1tbs of Dawn dishwashing liquid for 12oz of water in a spray bottle. Must spray directly onto beetle until they turn belly-up, once that happens its fair to say its DEAD. So far today I killed 10 using this method and needless to say there are still more. Its a temporary fix....

It so not right that I have to live like this, when will this end??

ERIN
09 Oct 2010, 15:09

I live in Charlottesville, VA and 2010 is the first year we have ever had them. The best way to dispose of stinkbugs is fly paper. If you stick the bugs to it they will not ever be able to get off of it, and then you can just throw them out in the trash, VOILA.

Rudy
11 Oct 2010, 13:29

I'm in the same boat as Aaron...

Farm and workshop in Boonsboro, MD. Can't even walk in it to try and clean.

Anyone know where I can procure one of the bee suits??

I'm going insane. I talk to myself.

Ask the Exterminator
11 Oct 2010, 13:33

Complete bee suits cost about $150. You can order them by contacting me via the Ask a Question button at the top of this page.

Ron
12 Oct 2010, 01:48

You'd think with this obvious problem in many cases deeply affecting people, some entrepreneur somewhere would think to open a "stinkbug specialist" service. It seems the only way right now is to do all these things yourself, because most exterminators and supposed experts say there's no known way to deal with stinkbugs other than try to keep them out of your house. Obviously that's not true, because of the comments on this site!

Maria
13 Oct 2010, 15:00

I live in Gaithersburg, Maryland and have had Orkin come to my house every single month for the past 11 years. I've heard about "stink bugs" but I had not seen one. When the Orkin guy came over for service at the end of September he asked me if I had any stink bugs. I asked them what they looked like and he explained it to me. Thank goodness I don't have any because I'm a bug-o-phobe. This last weekend, however, I had a friend here from Los Angeles and since the weekend was so beautiful we took a drive through Brookville/Olney and came upon an old slave house. I made the big, big, I should say HUGE mistake of parking next to that "museum" We were attacked by stink bugs, diving into my hair, attached to my car, I saw 2 of them inside the car...we were both doing the St. Vitus dance while at that field. Had to take my car to a car wash (definitely not the one in my neighborhood) and they had to open up the hood and spray water in there, about 50 of them were hitching a ride. They were the most disgusting bugs I've ever seen in my life. I cannot believe that if someone doesn't come up with a "cure" soon they will be near my house next year. I was going bonkers for 20 minutes. Good luck to all of us.

jhia
13 Oct 2010, 23:42

I have anxiety with the stink bugs. They come through my air conditioner vent but I covered it up with plastic and masking tape. Then they still came. I had a battle. I was so traumatized I didn't sleep in my room. When I recovered my strength and saw more bugs, I went straight to home depot. I covered my window again with a black garbage bag and duct tape.
After that I only saw one. Then I sprayed it with Raid. This bugs must be tough because the same bug managed to find itself on the ceiling of the first floor the other day. I let it live on the wall for one more day and then I had the get the strength to vacuum it up. My room is on the second floor. Every night I have to inspect my room to see if any have returned and I read on a website that they're attracted to light so I go in my room when I'm ready to sleep. So I don't keep my light on long. I'm scared to go in my room. I have anxiety. I hate bugs. YOu know what I hate. Having to suck these bugs up in the vacuum and I have to empty the bag. What will kill these bugs? Everything created on this earth can die. You know I spray these things with Raid, and it's like they hide and as soon as the light goes on they appear and it seems that it's the same bugs. So far, I haven't seen the bugs in my room since I covered the window with the air conditioner with a black garbage bag amd duct tape but they got through when I covered the window with clear plastic and masking tape, what's to keep them from getting through the duct tape. I don't trust my window even though I double sealed it. What will kill these bugs? I shouldn't be afraid to go into my own room and sleep or go in my room and watch tv. I have two vacuums in my room. I hate bugs. My room smells like stink bugs and Raid. I try to cover it up with Feebreeze. How long will this last? Do they just die off? Do I have to endure this all winter? Will my vacuum do overtime all winter? I'm tired of emptying out my vacuum everyday or every other day or every two days. They're worse then the 17 year cicadas. At least the cicadas were outside. They didn't try to come in your house. When will the stinkbugs leave? Please help. I'm scared of bugs. I hate bugs, I want my room back.

theresa
21 Oct 2010, 13:42

These bugs are ruining my marriage...no kidding. I also can't sleep and I can't last much longer.
Please help me.
Myersville,MD

David B
21 Oct 2010, 14:30

To kill Stink bugs, I use Wasp and Hornet killer spray. I shout a spray around windows and doors. If there are hiding bugs, the bugs come out of the cracks to get away from the spray. They start crawling around and look a little drunk. In 5-8 minutes they are DEAD - on their backs, on the ground!

Donna
21 Oct 2010, 21:18

We have our travel trailer parked in seasonal space at a campground in Woodbine MD. I probably kill 100 stink bugs every weekend. OMG! They are driving me insane. I HATE bugs. I started out trapping them in a piece of tissue or paper towel and then burning them in camp fire but I was going thru a ton of paper. Someone mentioned dropping them in a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Works GREAT! Hold bottle up to stink bug, they drop in and die. LOVE IT!

chris
26 Oct 2010, 11:04

I am from Greene County, Va and i hate these bugs i had to help my pastor ove and he had voxes outside over a couple of days and when his wife opened the boxes they came out everywhere in the new house. I have taken ecology and the alcohol thing works but with so many of the critters that would take forever and alot of alcohol. I am going crazy. I tried bee killer but that has no effect on them so im open to any suggestions.

Ask the Exterminator
26 Oct 2010, 13:28

Talstar Pro available on this website.

Carlo
27 Oct 2010, 00:58

I live in a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pa. Like many of you my day and all free time is to hunt and kill SBs. Sleeping is minimal and quality of life is pretty much non existant. Whenever I go anywhere in the condo I have dawn soap and water solution spray bottle in hand. Unfortunately I have extremely high vaulted ceilings and skylights. they love the skylights. I do spray the bleep out of them with the dawn and it works!!! I was under the impression they go away in the winter. but, reading these testimonies I am wrong. At least the dawn spray works... Let's all pray!!!

Richard
05 Nov 2010, 21:01

We are inundated in our RV with these horrible pests. We have been catching them in a paper towel and dropping them in a jar filled with undiluted 409 and then resealing the jar. We are on our way to FL and hate the thoughts that we are carrying theses pests to another State.

Dave
02 Dec 2010, 07:21

Urgh, im glad I'm not the only one.

Every summer its the same thing, dad puts in window AC unit.. end of the summer i find 200 of em chillin on my curtain. Then i scream BOOYAH and suck em up with the vacuum as best i can.

It is now December and i am STILL finding the bastards. They love my white curtains, and since my room is near the attic which we never use, yea, you get the picture.

I've learned to cope with them. Often times they will stay in the same spot if you dont disturb them. I find that burning incense helps get rid of the smell.

Bill
22 Dec 2010, 19:26

Now I know I am not insane(yet) but I am getting there! We rented a house in Fauquier County VA in May. We saw these dead bugs around the house. I asked the realtor what they were and she said 'Oh they are just stink bugs'. Huh. JUST stink bugs?? After losing our entire Fall and literally running in and out of the house just to get into a car full of them almost drove us insane. The exterminator companies all said the same thing, that there is nothing they can do about them. So I cancelled a 500 dollar visit from one who said they would come but no guarantee.

We just had our entire attic cleared out of insulation because there were literally tens of thousands of them living under the insulation. They vaccumed them up and replaced with treated insulation, but they never sprayed anything while the attic was clear. Now in late December, we are getting hundreds per day inside the house. They are actually worse now than in Sept and nothing is sacred. The exterminating companies really do not know what they are doing and they do not seem interested in a solution. They left thousands of them alive inside the attic, did not seal it up and did not spray! What does that tell you? This is not rocket science, but if there is an infestation and they are paid over 5000 dollars, ya think they should have sprayed before they put new insulation in? Or maybe found the entry and sealed it? No, none of that. And to boot they only replaced half of the amount of insulation they quoted so now I am paying the heating bill, they are not. They are going to probably be sued eventually, but that does not help me as just the tenant!

I am an entrapreneur so I have been devising ideas of how to kill them. Because they are attracted to their own scent, I am going to design a 'killing machine' that attracts them to it and every hour or appropriate interval a tube comes up and squeezes them like an orange juicer. That leaves scent to attract more. Then I just have to find a use for stink bug juice and viola!

Yes, I am going insane like everybody else! Talstar works well and the nationally renound exterminating company refuses to use it! Why? Because it may actually kill them and why would I need them then? Rather than rip people off with experiences like this I am going to make money from my 'killing machine'! For now, up to the attic this wekekend with my Talstar to kill as many as I can. Hopefully I can get a month or two of peace before they return......

Barbara
28 Dec 2010, 14:13

If anyone comes up with a real solution I would love to know. Where are they coming from in December? I heard they cannot tolerate freezing conditions. Are they in the woodwork? I find them everywhere, the most are on the sun side of the house. This is an obsession/problem I thought would be gone by this late in the year

Ask the Exterminator
28 Dec 2010, 14:19

They are already inside the attic where it's nice and warm. They probably arrived sometime around September or October. You need to treat the outside walls of the house on the sun side during their migration period. Talstar Pro is the pesticide of choice. You can buy it on this website.

Joan
08 Jan 2011, 22:51

In Central Pa....wish I was ONLY encountering 20 or so a day. Awoke the other night because something was crawling on my forehead; you guessed it, a stink bug! Pushed it aside and I got treated to the smell of death right on my face. The next day I went on a warpath to uncover and destroy as many as possible. Saw 1 or 2 in the hallway and decided to look under a picture frame hanging on the way. Ughh...tons. Ended up removing every single hanging picture, artwork, corkboard, clock, etc. (actually about 20 things) and located 150-200 stinkbugs. Tonight my husband & I discovered they are actually lurking under the doorway moulding in our house. OMG, we're gonna go crazy here!!

daryl
09 Jan 2011, 10:36

dear joan and everyone else i feel for you all. i dont like them but they are driving my wife out of her mind. i have tried everything and still even on the coldest day they show up and i can hear my wife screaming. there has to be a simple solution that wont cost a fortune. we have been lucky as i have other homes close by that have been totally invaded by the little bastards. i am limited to 3-4 a week now. but i am sure if i tore the attic apart i would find alot more. most all i find now out of the immediate living area are dead. i do keep an old vacuum handy for there destruction only. as they are being sucked up and into the fan it smells for a minute or so. but i know they are dead and cant get back out. thats the best thing i have found to sorta contain them, keep my vac handy......daryl

john
16 Feb 2011, 21:08

If they are on your screen spray them with a mixture of detergent or dish- washing liquid and water. they will die in about 15 seconds.

sam
22 Feb 2011, 16:36

I live in Michigan and I just bought a house last October and these bugs were all over my siding and windows. I heard that they like to stay on the south side of house which holds true for me. I bought some strong bug spray and it kills them pretty quicky but I dont think there is any permanent solution. Please let me know if there is anything I can do.

Ask the Exterminator
22 Feb 2011, 16:39

You cannot stop them from migrating in the late summer and fall, but you can treat the sun-sides of your house with Talstar Pro, as mentioned in the article above. Click on the Talstar link above for more product information.

Emily
12 Apr 2011, 23:40

I am from northern Kentucky and have had these disgusting bugs in my house for the last year at least. They are worst in the (only) bedroom, so myself, my husband, and our 4 year old son have been sleeping on the living room furniture for the last 8 or 9 months. I find dozens a day. I'm not scared of bugs in general but these things scare the living heck out of me. Terrifying. I have a hand-held vacuum I keep handy to suck them up when I see them. It works in that it's quick and easy and as long as I've been using it, I've never once smelled one of these suckers, but it is getting extremely full because I'm so terrified of even the dead ones that I won't empty the vacuum! Our house is so old and full of cracks that it's hopeless to try to exterminate them. I really want to tear this house down and move cross-country. Sadly that's not an option. Please someone find a good way to rid the house of these things. ><

Lynda
22 Apr 2011, 22:17

I live outside Pittsburgh and these devils are a real pain. Bugs don't generally bother me, but THESE bugs do.

An article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11043/1124852-47.stm

I've gotten a stink-bug trap from Andy Strube at stinkbugtrapsonline.com. They really work.

Good luck everyone. We are at WAR!!!

Ask the Exterminator
23 Apr 2011, 10:15

Beware claims of stink bug traps. Actually, stink bugs will fly to any surface that reflects light. The number of stink bugs actually trapped on these sticky devices is like a drop of water in the ocean. The traps will have no effect on the number of bugs that get inside your home.

Narain Bhojwani
26 Apr 2011, 23:45

I have a big problem of stink bugs in my home. I have tried to caulk window openings etc, but I cannot figure it out as where these creepy creatures are entering my house and be a nuisance to my family members. Is there any solution to stop them from entering my house etc.?

Ask the Exterminator
27 Apr 2011, 08:50

Answers are already on this page.

Lynn
06 May 2011, 02:37

If you have older windows, they will find a way in. We replaced ours and what a difference. Also, do you have a fireplace? I take duct tape and seal our fireplace up - every crack and all the way around the outside of the whole insert. That drastically stops them from coming in our family room. I use duct tape to catch and seal them up without squishing them. You tear off a piece of tape and just touch the back of the stink bug and it gets stuck to the tape. Then you fold it over and just seal it up around the stink bug. No stink on your hands and the smell doesn't get thru the duct tape. Someone else was wondering about stink bugs just falling off the wall into cups. They jump down to take off so they naturally will "fall" into a cup held below them when they are on a wall.
Hope this helps. We live next to a farm field, so I have a lot of experience with them.

Jill
07 May 2011, 12:22

Just want you to know they are in Oregon too. They started showing up last year in my house, a few a day. Then they totally destroyed my tomatoes. We have had a cold wet spring but I am starting to see them again. They are now a problem from coast to coast. Why isn't someone doing something about this horrible bug!

chris
13 May 2011, 19:25

Help,,,I can't handle these stink bugs, I think I may have a nervous breakdown...if it's such a problem all over the northeast why hasn't our government stepped in and help solve this problem...maybe someone should add this to his campaign

Rick
20 May 2011, 11:22

LOL. Why, whenever there is a problem, does one person invoke the "government solution"?
Government ALWAYS makes things worse, not better. If you like political machine politics, dude, then OK - keep asking politicians for help.

In the meantime, I'm looking for my own solutions. If labs aren't focusing on this problem, then entrepreneurs can and should. There's always a solution if you're smart enough to figure it out and get rich off it.

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Stink Bug Control

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