Controlling Brown Stink Bugs - Some Common Sense Methods!

Like it or not, the new infestation of Stink Bugs is not likely to leave anytime soon... if ever.  Since they arrived from Asia, they've gotten quite a foothold - especially in Pennsylvania.  They first popped their stinky little heads up in Allentown, Lehigh county, and have migrated to at least 20 other counties in Pennsylvania.  They've even been spotted in New Jersey, Maryland, and several other surrounding states.

So since they're not showing any signs of moving on, the $64 question everyone asks is: "How do we get rid of Stink Bugs?" This is where the "good news/bad news" comes in. You might just as well ask, "How do we get rid of Hornets? or Wasps? or Yellow Jackets?" The unfortunate answer is, you don't! That's the bad news. People probably felt the same way when these other pests showed up, but eventually learned to deal with them, and resolved to accept them whether they liked it or not. At least  Stink Bugs don't sting!  And that's just one part of the good news in all of this.

Compared to the other more aggressive bugs out there, Stink Bugs are fairly easy to control.  So let's keep things in perspective here.  You will never totally prevent their existence around your house, but you CAN control where they congregate.

First, they would really like to congregate inside your house. They're not very big so it doesn't take much of an opening for them to get in. The Simple Solution: seal every potential port of entry you can find. Get some latex caulking and fill cracks. Make sure your window screens fit properly. If you don't have sweeps on the bottoms of your doors, get'em and put'em on. It's just common sense. If you were a bug of that size, where would you be looking to get in? Answer that question and you'll go a long way in sealing off potential entryways.

Second, keep in mind that Stink Bugs don't like to be too hot or too cold. Locate shady areas where they're likely to go on a hot day, and treat those areas with a pest control product every couple of weeks. Don't overlook the areas under porches and decks - these are great hiding places. Sheds offer a great hideaway on both hot and cooler days, so add them to your list of places to treat. Get creative, think like a Stink Bug!

Finally, if your goal is to kill as many of them as you can, then you might consider having a professional pest control technician come in and fan spray the outside areas, focusing on doorways and around windows. This could definitely help control a measure of the population, but as mentioned before - you'll never get rid of them all.  Practical, common-sense methods are still the best approach. 

If you're more of the DIY type you can buy professional-grade pesticides at "Do-It-Yourself-Pest-Control"...  https://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/stink-bugs-control.htm
By doing it yourself you avoid getting locked into a contract with a professional company, and save a bunch of money in the process.  Pest control isn't complicated.