Repelling the Invaders
October 3, 2022 2:39 PM Subscribe
Not only is it decorative gourd season, it's also Brown Marmorated Stink Bug season. I would like to do as much as possible to prevent as many as possible from overwintering in my house. I will be working to seal up cracks and crevices and regularly monitoring, so my question to you is...
Is it worth to also engage an exterminator to spray around the foundation and doors? If you've sprayed for BMSB before, did it help lessen the invasion?
I've dealt with BMSBs for the past few years. I have an okay understanding of their lifecycle and what not to do (don't squish, don't vacuum).
Along with sealing up possible entry points and potentially spraying. Is there anything else that has worked for people in thefall season to prevent the little f$%#ers from getting inside.
I've dealt with BMSBs for the past few years. I have an okay understanding of their lifecycle and what not to do (don't squish, don't vacuum).
Along with sealing up possible entry points and potentially spraying. Is there anything else that has worked for people in the
Our pest control company claims that there's no spray that really works for them. While I am not an expert by any means, I'm kind of inclined to believe them, since they have an incentive to get me to pay more money by spraying. (If anyone does know of a spray that works, I am all ears, because I hate them too).
I don't know if this is true, but neighbors have told us that the smell of them attracts others, so the main thing we do is try to stay extremely on top of it by getting them the instant we see one in the house, and not do anything to cause the scent (which it sounds like you already have a handle on). The way we usually get them is we will take a damp tissue, pick them up with that, and then flush it down the toilet. The wet tissue is sticky enough to grab them without actually smashing them, and because they're so slow, they are very easy to catch this way. Anecdotally it did seem to improve things when we were more aggressive about getting rid of them, but who knows really.
That said, we do still get some, and I will be watching this thread hoping for more ideas.
posted by primethyme at 9:01 PM on October 3, 2022
I don't know if this is true, but neighbors have told us that the smell of them attracts others, so the main thing we do is try to stay extremely on top of it by getting them the instant we see one in the house, and not do anything to cause the scent (which it sounds like you already have a handle on). The way we usually get them is we will take a damp tissue, pick them up with that, and then flush it down the toilet. The wet tissue is sticky enough to grab them without actually smashing them, and because they're so slow, they are very easy to catch this way. Anecdotally it did seem to improve things when we were more aggressive about getting rid of them, but who knows really.
That said, we do still get some, and I will be watching this thread hoping for more ideas.
posted by primethyme at 9:01 PM on October 3, 2022
Yup I've also just tossed them in the toilet if I catch them, or once or twice I caught one under a cup and put it down the kitchen sink disposal. It seems like it's shaping up to be a bad year for those guys where I live (Seattle area) so I'll be watching this thread as well. But yeah squishing them is a fool's errand.
posted by potrzebie at 11:03 PM on October 3, 2022
posted by potrzebie at 11:03 PM on October 3, 2022
I hunt them down outside, knock them off my window screens into a ziploc bag or plastic container, and freeze them. Then I throw the bag/container out whenever I get around to it. Yesterday I caught 6 - I figure if I can catch them outside fewer will make it indoors.
My bigger problem is boxelder bugs - I’m killing a dozen per day indoors right now. My house is a 1950s rambler with original wood shingle siding, so there’s no hope of sealing things up unless we replace the siding entirely.
posted by Maarika at 8:37 AM on October 4, 2022
My bigger problem is boxelder bugs - I’m killing a dozen per day indoors right now. My house is a 1950s rambler with original wood shingle siding, so there’s no hope of sealing things up unless we replace the siding entirely.
posted by Maarika at 8:37 AM on October 4, 2022
For small numbers of stinkbugs (dozens), a device called a Bugzooka is very useful. For large numbers (hundreds), a dedicated backpack-style vacuum may be necessary. If you want to trap them in an attic or other space, get a plastic pail, fill it halfway with water, and put a cheap clamp-on reflector lamp on the rim, aiming the light toward the water. They will happily dive in and exterminate themselves.
posted by The Half Language Plant at 9:44 AM on October 4, 2022
posted by The Half Language Plant at 9:44 AM on October 4, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ovvl at 8:31 PM on October 3, 2022