If you are finding stink bugs indoors this October, they did not just arrive. The stink bugs River Valley homeowners spot on curtains and ceilings usually slipped into wall voids and attics back in early fall. Therefore, the fix is not a can of spray in the living room. Instead, the real work happens outside, at the gaps they used to get in.
We have treated homes from Fort Smith to Van Buren and Alma since 1991, and the stink bugs River Valley families call about follow the same pattern every year. First the nights cool off. Then the calls start. So here is what is really going on inside your walls, and what honestly helps.
Why Are Stink Bugs in My House in October?
Stink bugs spend the summer outdoors, feeding on garden vegetables, fruit trees and field crops. However, shorter days and cooler nights send the adults looking for a dry place to wait out winter. Because a house holds heat, it looks like a perfect hollow tree to them.
Sunny afternoons draw them to warm siding and brick, especially on south and west walls. Next, they crawl into whatever opening they find. A torn screen, a loose soffit, a gap around a window frame or an unscreened attic vent all work. According to the EPA guide to brown marmorated stink bugs, this move happens in early autumn, and the bugs then settle in behind baseboards, trim and in attics.
As a result, the bug you see on a warm October afternoon is often already a resident. A sunny day or a running furnace warms the wall, so it wakes up and wanders toward the light. Unfortunately, it picks the wrong direction and ends up in your kitchen.
Which Stink Bugs River Valley Homes Actually Get
Arkansas has native brown and green stink bugs, and both will wander indoors in fall. Additionally, an invasive species has joined them. The University of Arkansas reports that the first verified brown marmorated stink bug in the state turned up in Washington County in 2013. You can read their account of the invasive stink bug working its way into Arkansas for the details.
How to Tell a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Apart
All stink bugs share that flat shield shape. However, the brown marmorated stink bug has a few giveaways. For example, the University of Arkansas fact sheet FSA7077 points to a white band on each antenna. It also describes a black and white checkerboard pattern along the edge of the abdomen. Adults run about half an inch long.
Honestly, the species matters less than the behavior. All of the stink bugs River Valley homes attract want the same thing, which is a quiet crack to sleep in. Therefore, the same plan handles all of them.
Why Spraying the Living Room Does Not Work
This is the part most people get backwards. A homeowner sees three bugs on the window, sprays the room, and feels better for a day. Then four more show up. Because most stink bugs River Valley homeowners fight hide inside the wall, the spray never touches them.
The EPA makes the same point. Indoor insecticides kill the bugs you can see, but they will not stop more from emerging out of cracks. In fact, almost every pest we deal with starts outside, so the exterior is where treatment belongs. That same thinking drives our quarterly residential pest control service.
Here is some good news, though. Stink bugs do not bite people or pets, and they do not damage the structure. Furthermore, they do not reproduce indoors. They are a nuisance, not a danger, so there is no reason to panic.
How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs Already Inside
First, do not squash them. A stink bug releases its odor when something disturbs or crushes it, and that smell lingers on walls and fabric. Instead, use a vacuum. The EPA notes that a vacuum removes live and dead bugs well, although the machine may smell for a while. For that reason, many folks keep an old shop vac in the garage for this job.
You can also knock a bug into a cup of soapy water. Meanwhile, close the gaps on the inside. Caulk around window trim, baseboards and light fixtures so the bugs in the wall cannot reach your rooms. Come spring, they will try to head back outdoors on their own.
Keeping Stink Bugs Out of River Valley Homes Next Fall
For the stink bugs River Valley weather sends indoors, prevention is a late summer and early fall job. Because of that, September is the month that counts here. Many older brick homes in Fort Smith have original windows and worn weather stripping. Similarly, homes on crawlspaces around Van Buren and Alma often have open foundation vents and loose access doors. Each of those is a welcome mat.
Seal the House First
Start with a slow walk around the outside. Then caulk around windows, door frames and utility lines. Next, replace torn screens and add door sweeps. Finally, screen attic vents and the chimney top, and secure the crawlspace door. This work costs little, and it also blocks the Asian lady beetles that swarm Arkansas homes every fall.
Add a Fall Exterior Treatment
Sealing does most of the work, but no house is airtight. Therefore, a well timed exterior treatment around windows, eaves and entry points adds a second layer. We apply it before the bugs settle in, which is the same timing we use for Asian lady beetle control. Our technicians cover Fort Smith, Van Buren and Alma on both sides of the Arkansas River.
Fall rain brings other visitors too. For instance, we recently explained why millipedes march indoors after a fall rain, and the fix follows the same logic. Keep the outside tight and dry, and the inside stays quiet.
Common Questions About Stink Bugs River Valley Homeowners Ask
Do stink bugs bite or cause damage?
No. According to the EPA, they do not bite people or pets, and nobody has shown that they spread disease. They also cause no structural damage. However, some people are sensitive to the compounds the bugs release.
What attracts stink bugs to my house?
Warmth and shelter attract them. Sun on a south or west wall pulls them in on fall afternoons. Then gaps around windows, vents and soffits give them a way inside. Nearby gardens and fruit trees also keep them close all summer.
Will stink bugs lay eggs in my house?
No. They do not reproduce indoors, so the bugs in your walls are simply waiting for spring. Because of that, the number inside will not grow over winter. It only feels that way when warm days wake them up.
When do stink bugs go away?
They leave in spring when the weather warms. Meanwhile, expect to see a few on mild winter days. Vacuum those up, and plan your sealing work for late summer.
Get Ahead of the Stink Bugs River Valley Falls Bring
You do not need to live with a winter of surprise guests. Our family owned team has protected homes here since 1991, and we are glad to take a look. First, check our current coupons and deals. Then contact Extermco or call (479) 783-1822, and we will build a plan for the stink bugs River Valley homes face each fall.
