It happens every year like clockwork. No, we are not talking about the holidays, tax season, or re-inspecting your car; we’re talking about stink bug invasions. If you have owned a home here in Charlotte for long enough, you have certainly had trouble with these invasive, loud, and smelly pests at one point or another. So what is the best way to prevent stink bugs from coming inside this fall, or any fall going forward? Read on to learn some effective prevention tips and one fast and easy solution to eliminating stink bugs around your Newport home.
How Problematic Are Stink Bugs?
Stink bugs are more problematic for farmers than they are for homeowners, and this is mainly due to this pest’s diet. While other insects can live off the grass, simple sugars, and protein, stink bugs primarily live on a diet of fruit, peaches, apples, and other agricultural fruits. Another plant these smelly pests can’t get enough of is soybeans.
Inside homes, stink bugs mainly present a different type of problem. As you might already know or might’ve already guessed from the name, this pest releases a pungent odor that is often likened to that of the spice cilantro. Stink bugs produce this smell when threatened or squished, so think twice before crushing one of these home intruders.
In addition to being smelly, stink bugs are also annoying. Unlike flies that can’t be heard when they buzz around a home, a stink bug’s flapping wings are audible from several feet away. It’s a noticeable, periodic buzz, and one that will surely drive you crazy given time.
Why Do Stink Bugs Invade Homes
Keeping in mind that stink bugs are primarily agricultural pests might make you wonder why they invade homes. After all, you probably aren’t growing any apple trees out of your living room. But besides food, your home has another thing stink bugs need more than anything else, and that’s warmth. Without your temperature-controlled home and others like it, stink bugs will die this winter.
Prevention Tips for Stink Bugs
More often than not stink bug invasions start with these pests soaking up the sun on a home’s exterior. To reduce your chances of an infestation this fall and winter, here are some great prevention tips to consider:
- Repair or replace damaged window/door screens around your home.
- Turn exterior lights off at night or invest in insect-resistant bulbs.
- Make sure your gutters are clear of debris and flowing properly.
- Fix leaky piping and fixtures around your property.
- Use a dehumidifier around the humid areas of your home.
- Check grocery bags and holiday decoration boxes for stink bugs before bringing them indoors.
- Trim trees and shrubbery around your property and store firewood at least 30 feet away from your home’s exterior.
- Use a caulk gun to fill in gaps, holes, and cracks in your home’s exterior.
How to Handle Stink Bugs if They Come Inside
Removing one stink bug from your home is not a difficult task, requiring as little as a piece of toilet paper or a vacuum. Removing several stink bugs, however, is considerably more difficult. If you are looking for a way to get and keep these pests out of your Charlotte home this winter, get the professionals at Go-Forth Home Services involved.
Our team has the industrial-grade equipment and treatments needed to properly handle these pungent pests and get your home everything it needs to stay stink-bug-free all winter long. Don’t spend Christmas catching stink bugs. Contact us to find your quick and easy solution to these invasive pests today.