Acorns and Asian Stinkbugs

I've had renewed assualts from them in the last couple warm days. They all come to the one side of my house, and cover the screens of my bedroom windows (two dozen at a time each) I collect a couple dozen in a kill jar, from around the back door
*lidded jar with a little alcohol in it.
Yesterday I laid some draperies over the deck railing to air and de-dust00thye were getting in them. And a bunch were in between two leather gardening gloves I had laid out there days before. UGH

Jen hate to burst yr bubble but peppermint extract has alcohol in it so that would be what knocked them out instantly. And that would not last long when spread exposed.

Guess I'll be spraying vodka around the doors than...LOL


I did take some cotton balls and soak them in extract and then shoved them in the spaces in my slider where I thought they might be coming in and ran some more around the edges...I observed one climb very slowly up the edge but then moved over the glass of the door, never did get inside

Let's hope we can deter them with something non toxic like peppermint! And if we have to spray with alcohol to kill them , that would dissipate too, and be cheap.

I am starting to get a lot of customers at HD asking how they can kill these Stink Bugs...

Unfortunately--the powers that be have not yet caught up with this invasion and there is
not much offered in the Box Stores to combat these.

I am grateful that I have all your input here that i can pass on to the customers....
They all sem desperate to deal with this invasion....Just had a couple today that had
moved here from NY--and their house is covered with Stink Bugs....

I told them to vacuum them up and dispose of the bag. Also--that alcohol will kill them--
thanks to you all....

They listened and appreciated my advice and bought a spray can of Specracide Insect Killer.
I had seen an ad that this may work on these critters....and told them so.

Luckily--I have not yet had any in my house......Keeping my fingers crossed.....

Gita

This site is a great collection of what people are doing about protecting their homes from stink bugs. Article is good and many useful comments. Mentions some products available at HD as well as more natural solutions. Gives a picture of egg masses , etc http:/

/www.asktheexterminator.com/Household_Pests/How_to_Get_Rid_of_Stink_Bugs.shtml

www.asktheexterminator.com/Household_Pests/How_to_Get_Rid_of_Stink_Bugs.shtml

It didn't appear linked so I fiddled with it. Thanks coleup.

Nice article,
If I were going to spray anything, I think I would spray a general insecticide into the cracks along where my back wall meets my roof overhang, where they look like they'll end up, and the door frame as several have gotten around and have ben clinging to the INSIDE of the back door screen. They are all over a couple windows but the screens look tight there and I don't know where they are ending up, I haven't had time to sit and watch what they do for an hour.

The alcohol should knock them down but I cannot guarantee total kill with it. But we can blame the user for not using enough if somebody comes back and complains to you, Gita.
It's funny, I have NOT seen stink bugs in my garden, or seen a lots of damage I'd attribute to them.This message was edited Oct 13, 2010 8:40 AM

This message was edited Oct 13, 2010 8:48 AM

Weird how the article said that they seem to be more attracted to light color houses, mine is very light tan and I don't have THAT many, whereas my nieghbor's have a dark blue house and has tons, HAS to be the fact I have pest control do quarterly maintenance. Had him out yesterday again for this quarter he said there were a few out there....he said in the next couple years we're going to start seeing fire ants here... great, another thing to worry about.

It also sadi they were attracte to lights- but can't prove that by them clustering on my dark winodw screens where they sense the inside evironment. Even when its cooler inside and they are supposedly looking for a warm spot to overwinter???What the heck are they thinking???

PS Am having so many problems with regular ants, can't imagine. Actually my sister lives wtih fire ants, the only thing is never stepping on the mounds in bare feet, and using Amdro on any mound she finds. They are pretty easy to spot.

Sally, Thanks for making that a link! Will learn how one day, at least I can cut and paste now.

Jen and Sally, as to being attracted to light colors...some thoughts from my observations this year and last..
Stinks fly from their "home" sites in trees, shrubs, weeds, vines, to their food source on a daily basis during active season. (That's why you'll see comments from people tearing out shrubbery near their homes which harbor stinks but may not be their food supply, or taking out fruit trees that are a food supply.) None were on my tomatoes at nite or early morning, but many during the day (where I would knock them off into a cup filled with soapy water which killed them)

They didn't land directly on the tomatoes, but on the tomatoe vines and then made their way down to the tomatoes themselves to feed for "hours"! They definitely went for the yellow tomatoes or the just ripening ones, not the green or the red.. So their day goes from dark shelter to lite food source, back to dark shelter..

Since screens are "dark", they may land there to begin to look for nitetime shelter and finding it acceptable, leave their scent trial for themselves and others to return..to that rest stop. Windows stay warmer at nite, and heat up faster in sun so they can be off earlier to feast.. Their rest stop is a great place for them to seek more suitable hibernating quarters as temperatures drop and food sources decline. Right now, easy access is key as they fatten up for hibernation. As temps dip into 50's and below, they get more serious about winter quarters.

I never see them on the ground and they seem to fly in to my light blue house and land about 3-4 foot up (window height!) and will crawl up to the peak. While I was painting up there last Fall, some flew directly to the peak because, I believe they had left a scent mark there. Most crawled up though, probably following a trail. This is why it is important to have screens ober roof vents and to caulk and seal every entry point on the house Where ther is one inside, their follow the scent trail will see others (just like ants!)