Stink Bugs

You have this gorgeous garden, and yes, it attracts bugs occasionally. However, during the evening, you stroll through the garden to find a huge brown bug. Not thinking you squish it and find an unpleasant odor following you into the home. Yip, you have trampled a stinkbug. The Halyomorpha Halys, known as the stinkbug or shield bug, is a big nuisance. You see them in summer entering your home, or during winter, you find them in cracks of the wall. Once spring arrives, they escape into your garden to feed on the plants. So how do you rid your home of this pest, and does peppermint get rid of stinkbugs? What is a Stink Bug? The bug came from China and arrived in the United States in 1990. Furthermore, they can grow to two inches long and has many colors depending on the location they live in. The insect has six legs, and the body looks as if covered with a shield. Moreover, they rarely bite humans, but when threatened, they might give you a nip. The pest lives on veg and fruits, and if ever one happens to bite you, it feels like a sting. On the other hand, they deter predators with the stench they give off. So how do you get rid of them? Prevention tips you can take: Plant wildflower to attract wasps that are the stinkbugs, main enemy Make sure to kill the bug outside to ensure you drive the others away Keep the garden clean of weeds You can wipe the doorways and windowsills with scented dryer sheets Make sure to seal entry points by using chalk Fit the windows and doors with mesh screening On the other hand, if you do find one roaming around the home, it is best to remove it than killing it in the house. Take a plastic bottle and use the lid to collect the insect and toss it outdoors. Alternatively, you can use a stinkbug trap by taking a two-liter bottle. Take a razor blade and cut the top of the bottle off. Now set the top section aside and warp the bottom part with electrical tape. Take an LED light and set it in the bottom of the bottle. Now place the bottle top upside-down into the container to create a funnel. As the sides of the bottle are slippery, it prevents the insect from climbing out. Take some masking tape and stick the strips along the outside, making it easier for the stinkbug to climb. By using a long object, turn the light on and leave it standing overnight to attract the insect. Mint Stink Bug Recipe You can find different DIY recipes online to repel the shield bug, but one that works effectively is the mint recipe. You will need two cups of water, ten drops of mint oil (two teaspoons ground mint leaves), and a spray bottle. You mix the ingredients and pour it in the bottle to use as a spray. The smell of the substance only repels them but does not kill them. Once you start using the mint, you will notice a reduction of the bug in the home. Other insecticides that work: If you prefer using natural pesticides to poisonous ones that are harmful to the family, you can use the following home remedies. Another great reason to use natural products is that when you kill the insect in the wall cracks, the stench attracts carpet beetles leaving you with another problem to get rid of. Garlic Spray Take four teaspoons of garlic, mix it with two cups of water, and place it in a spray bottle. Here you spray the entryways of the insect and works well to repel them. The remedy is excellent to use if you do not mind the smell of garlic. Another method is to chop the garlic up and leave it where the insect enters the home. Soapy Water Another effective killer for the bug is soapy water. Once you spray it on the stinkbug, it leaves the body dehydrated as it breaks down the outer shell. However, it only works if you spray it directly on the insect. You will need a ¾ cup of mild dish detergent mixed with 32 ounces of warm water and a spray bottle. More stinkbug repellents Hairspray – using the spray on its own also kills the shield bug when sprayed directly onto it as it paralyzed them. Neem Oil – you can take 32 ounces of warm water and mix in two teaspoons of the oil and place it in a spray bottle. The oil is a natural insecticide that is safe to use around the home. What the oil does is disrupt the bugs feeding process and starves them while preventing the insect from laying more eggs. DE – Diatomaceous Earth, you can use for different purposes, and one of them is to get rid of stinkbugs. The natural pesticide is excellent to use for beg bugs, silverfish, ants, and spider mites as well. You can spread the chalky powder on the area where the insect’s congregate and typical entry points as well. Hot Pepper Solution – Lastly, if you want to kill the bug quickly, you can use capsaicin found in hot peppers. You can use habaneros or jalapenos by leaving them in water and pouring the solution into a spray bottle. You can spray the substance directly on the bug. As you can see, there are many ways to rid the home of this pest, and using peppermint is one of them. Final Thoughts No matter what DIY remedy you decide to use, the best route to remove them from home once killed is with a vacuum cleaner dead or alive. You can suck the bugs up and clean the bag outside. However, this works well with bagged vacuum cleaners. If you do have a bag-less one, we recommend leaving the appliance outdoors as the stench will linger for days on end. With the above methods and having the right tools, you can quickly deal with this annoying bug without any drama. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_marmorated_stink_bug http://npic.orst.edu/pest/stinkbug.html Related posts: How to get rid of yellow jackets