Stink Bugs On Their Way

There are many types of insects that are unique and needed for our environment. Some we think are necessary and some that we think aren’t. Some that seem to do their jobs and carry on without being a bother, and some that are just plain stinkers. Some, such as the stink bug, have earned their name. These pests have a small gland located on their thorax that emits a smell when they are threatened or squashed as a defense mechanism. Some describe this smell as a very potent, spoiled cilantro smell, which is why you wouldn’t want these pests hanging around your house. Although these insects may not cause much damage to a home or business, they are considered to be nuisance pest.

These pests are regularly spotted in the summer, but you will begin to see more of them as the cooler fall nights come and they begin to look for a warm place to overwinter. A home or business is the perfect spot. Walls and quiet areas such as crawl spaces or attics are all places these bugs like to overwinter. On warmer days, adult stink bugs may be spotted feeding on a house plant, but they often stay hidden until spring. When spring time arrives, these bugs will begin to come into the living spaces of your home searching for a way outdoors. Their smell and size is enough to make any homeowner want them out.

Even though these pests may not do much damage to homes or businesses, the damage on landscaping and farms are much more extensive. Younger stink bugs may begin feeding on weeds and grass, but will then migrate to other areas as they grow to become adults. They enjoy feeding on fruits such as peaches and apples, but are certainly not limited to these. They pierce the skin of the fruit and transplant a small amount of saliva into it. The saliva is toxic to the fruit’s cells and causes the fruit to develop a scar that resembles the face of a cat, making the fruit unfit to sell. As for gardening, these pests eat the stem of the plant and can transmit different plant diseases. This makes it hard to keep your landscaping and gardens healthy and beautiful.

There are ways to reduce your chances of stink bugs invading your personal space such as: repairing any torn screens in windows, doors, attics, and crawl space vents and filling in any gaps under exterior doors; weather stripping can help as gap filler. However, the best way to prevent a stink bug infestation here in Atlanta is to partner with a trusted pest control specialist like Active Pest Control. We offer a free inspection and have trained professionals to help tackle this task. If you spot stink bugs in your Atlanta home, we can help get rid of your infestation safely and efficiently. Give us a call to discuss the details.

Overwintering Stink Bugs On Their Way

Do you remember stink bugs? They are easy to forget during the summer months; but you suffered terribly from them last winter when they invaded your Macon, Georgia, home and filled it with that noxious odor. If you really do not want to wait for them to drive you crazy again this year then now is the time to act. As you know, once they get in your home, there isn’t much you can do. Get ahead of your stink bug problem by acting now before it is too late!

The brown marmorated stink bugs will search for warm places in the fall that they can call home for the winter. Your home is the perfect place. They will get into homes and buildings through cracks and crevices as well as vents and soffits. What you need to do is seal off all of those points of entry.

So, where do you start to prevent stink bugs from entering your home?

A good place to start is in the attic because this is the most likely way these pests get in. Nylon mesh and filter material in attic vents gets old and worn without you knowing and creates a perfect entry point for these bugs. Experts say that even though it is more expensive, copper and stainless steel mesh is better for ridge vents, and aluminum soffit vents are a more permanent solution in preventing the entry of bugs.

Attics are not the only weaknesses that these bugs exploit to gain entry into your home, and there are practical solutions for you to implement such as:

  • Fix or replace door and window frames with weather stripping or seals.
  • Repair or replace screens in windows, doors, and vents.
  • Remove air conditioners that are mounted in windows and fill gaps around windows with caulk or foam.
  • Seal all spaces where wires and pipes go from the outside into your home
  • Place cotton into spaces around windows that leak.

Stink bugs will gather on south sides of outside walls so take a good look at horizontal surfaces that meet vertical ones especially on your south side. The stink bugs crawl upward in the sun’s warmth until they reach a surface like a soffit or overhang and that is where they are most likely to gain entry to your home. While it is impossible to find every single crack in your exterior, filling as many as possible will help; and when you couple that with professional services that use small amounts of insecticides, you can be assured that stink bugs will think twice about making your home, their winter retreat.

Here at Active Pest Control, we have more than 4 decades of practical experience with local pest pressures. Our highly trained specialists can help you to keep stink bugs from choosing your home to winter in. We have the training, equipment, materials, and safety protocols to keep your home and your family safe from these nuisance pests. Give us a call or a click today to discuss the details and keep your home yours this winter.

Stink Bug Invasion

Invasion season has begun! Homeowners throughout the region have recently been spotting rather large brown or green bugs crawling around windows, doors, and exterior walls of their house. These armies of invaders, unaffectionately called stink bugs, have one goal in mind and that is to gain access to the warmth and comfort of your home. They have a natural instinct that alerts them and lets them know that the cold winter months are just around the corner. The focus of this very unwelcome bug is to find a crack or crevice big enough for them to fit through and take up residence inside the house.

Stink bugs are exactly that—bugs that stink! While this appears to be a very simple statement, any homeowner who does not recognize these nuisance pests and swats or steps on them will suddenly find out why they are called stink bugs. The stink bug puts off a very unpleasant smell that one doesn’t easily forget. If they gain entrance into the home, the preferred method of removal may be with the use of a vacuum cleaner. Even then, be sure and change the vacuum filter as the smell can linger for some time.

Stink bugs are threatening to the agricultural industry and local gardeners. They are especially fond of fruit trees. However, the good news is they do not bite or sting humans or pets. Neither do they cause structural damage to property. As with all household pests, the key to stink bug control is prevention. As stated in the old idiom, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Once stink bugs get inside the attic or walls of the home, they are extremely difficult to remove. There are several tips that homeowners should apply that will prevent stink bugs from invading the home.

Think like a bug and search your home for any gap or crack in the exterior of your house. Look around windows and doors for any crack and repair accordingly with caulking. This is an easy and inexpensive repair that will keep pests out and increase the heating efficiency of your home. Check the foundation for any cracks that may have developed and seal shut. You may also place a section of window screen over attic louvers and soffit vents.

Active Pest Control understands the aggravation of homeowners when it comes to removing unwanted guests. Our technicians are highly trained and able to make your home pest-free*. Our pest solutions plans will provide a year-round solution for stink bugs and other common household pests. You will find peace of mind by contacting Active Pest Control today for the perfect solution to your pest problems.