‘Tis the Season for Stink Bugs

Early fall is their favorite time to move inside your home

You find them everywhere: Clinging to your drapes, hanging on the wall, hiding in your closets and vents.

They’re slow-moving, ugly, annoying and – here’s the worst part – the little creepy crawlers stink.
 
Well, ‘tis the season for stink bugs, folks. In early fall, the prehistoric looking brown bugs head indoors (translation: your house), looking for a cozy place to spend the winter.
 
Here’s the good news: They don’t reproduce indoors and they don’t feed on much of anything.
 

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The bad news is that, like skunks, they are equipped with glands that squirt a foul-smelling liquid as a defense against predators. Some say it smells like rancid almonds or moldy fruit. It’s released when they’re crushed or disturbed.
 
The Loudoun County Extension office offers some tips on how to keep stink bugs out.
  • Seal cracks around windows, doors, utility access points, chimneys, siding, trim and fascia.
  • Cover attic and foundation vents with wire mesh.
If they are already inside, caulking is still the answer. Seal baseboards, exhaust fans, light fixtures and trim so the bugs can’t invade your interior living space.
 
Since you don’t want to step on the little devils (remember they stink when crushed) vacuums with bags are good, since you can immediately seal, remove and discard them, buggy cargo and all.
 
Here’s another lovely thought: If the stink bugs die inside the wall-voids or attic, their dead bodies may attract carpet beetles and other pests that feed on the carcasses and could lead to infestations of those pests.
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