Stink bugs

Item: Pointe Pest Control
Rating: 5
Author: insiteadvice

Live Stink Bug-Free with Pointe!

Pointe Pest Control is committed to keeping your home pest-free in every season. Our team of experienced and state-certified technicians are dedicated to providing safe and effective pest control services for the Western Illinois and Eastern Missouri areas. If a pest problem is not completely resolved after a visit, our technicians will return until it is eliminated.

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The Big Stink With Pests

The unassuming stink bug is not only a common garden pest, it can also be a nuisance indoors when the weather turns cold. These insects are excellent fliers as adults and will spend most of their time in sunny areas. Stink bugs average about two centimeters in length, and their wide bodies resemble the shape of a shield. They have a natural coloring – usually green or brown – that differs between nymphs and adults.

True to their name, stink bugs emit a strange odor when threatened or squished. This chemical comes from a gland on their abdomen, which launches the spray at predators up to several inches away. The scent is interestingly likened to cilantro and other strong herbs. Out of the over two hundred species in the U.S., the brown marmorated stink bug is likely the most common. Whether stink bugs are plaguing the garden or escaping the cold by living in the walls, Pointe Pest Control is here to serve you. We can keep your home stink bug-fee in every season!

A Garden of Bugs

Like other insects, stink bugs are most active in warm weather. This is when they can be found chewing through plants or resting on the side of a building, facing the sun. They like to hide when they are not in the sun, so stink bugs can also be found amidst weeds, leaf litter, stones, and trees. In the warmer months, stink bugs will not stray far from their beloved vegetation. But late summer leading into early autumn is another busy time for stink bugs, and it can pose multiple problems for homeowners.

Many pests overwinter in a warm and secure location, but stink bugs are even more persistent about using houses as their temporary home. They commonly infest wall voids through small gaps or cracks in the siding. Once inside, the stink bugs will spend the winter hidden away and stay there until the house starts heating up in the early spring. Then the remaining stink bugs will emerge to lay eggs in the foliage, and begin the process all over again. No matter the season, our Pointe Pest Control technicians will use a personalized treatment plan to keep stink bugs out of your home.

The All-Crop Diet

Stink bugs may not seem like the worst pest out there, but any farmer or gardener would heartily disagree. These insects are some of the most destructive garden pests ever, and their diet encompasses a wide range of edible crops and ornamental plants. Young stink bugs use their sharp mouthparts to pierce the stem, leaf, or root of the plant before sucking out the juices. Due to their small size, stink bugs do not even come close to draining the crop of its life. However, any fruit or vegetable visited by stink bugs is not salvageable anyway. The produce will develop sunken, soft spots with underlying tissue damage.

In general, stink bugs will eat any plant or crop that they find. Adults of the species favor fruits and vegetables that they can drink the juice out of easily. Their favorites include apples, corn, apricots, citrus fruits, peaches, tomatoes, soybeans, and peppers. Since stink bugs ruin any crop they touch, it is crucial to keep them out of the garden as much as possible. A full infestation could mean the difference between a bountiful harvest and a dismal production. Thanks to our EPA-approved treatments, the plants and produce will not be harmed by dangerous pesticides.

Contact Us for Stink Bug Prevention!

Stink Bug Prevention

We use liquid treatments and exclusion work to keep stink bugs out.

Treat to Protect

We spray 3 feet up and 3 feet out from the affected areas in order to prevent each pest.

Pest-Free Guarantee

Between our thorough inspections and effective treatments, we guarantee you will enjoy the results.

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Box Elders vs. Stink Bugs

Boxelder Bugs

Dark brown to black coloring
Flat oval body with red-orange markings
Half of an inch long
Mouth parts can puncture human skin
Lay 12 red eggs per specific placement; averaging about 350 eggs total
Eggs hatch 2 weeks later and molt until they become adults in the summer
Congregate on trees and release pheromones to attract others
Eat seeds, leaves, plums, and apples
Secrete a yellow staining dye when threatened
Gather in a warm spot before going to their overwintering home together
Seek out a warm place, preferably concrete, for their overwintering home

Stink Bugs

Brown to green in color
Shield-shaped body with metallic spots
14 to 17 millimeters long
Can cause allergy symptoms in humans
Lay 20 to 30 green eggs on the underside of leaves; averaging about 400 eggs total
Eggs hatch a few days later and molt multiple times until they become adults in the early fall
Do not always congregate outdoors
Eat fruits, vegetables, grains, and leaves
Secrete odorous spray when threatened
Invade warm spaces and release pheromones to draw in more stink bugs for the winter
Seek out a warm place, preferably dark and hidden, for their overwintering home

Boxelder Bugs

Dark brown to black coloring
Flat oval body with red-orange markings
Half of an inch long
Mouth parts can puncture human skin
Lay 12 red eggs per specific placement; averaging about 350 eggs total
Eggs hatch 2 weeks later and molt until they become adults in the summer
Congregate on trees and release pheromones to attract others
Eat seeds, leaves, plums, and apples
Secrete a yellow staining dye when threatened
Gather in a warm spot before going to their overwintering home together
Seek out a warm place, preferably concrete, for their overwintering home

Stink Bugs

Brown to green in color
Shield-shaped body with metallic spots
14 to 17 millimeters long
Can cause allergy symptoms in humans
Lay 20 to 30 green eggs on the underside of leaves; averaging about 400 eggs total
Eggs hatch a few days later and molt multiple times until they become adults in the early fall
Do not always congregate outdoors
Eat fruits, vegetables, grains, and leaves
Secrete odorous spray when threatened
Invade warm spaces and release pheromones to draw in more stink bugs for the winter
Seek out a warm place, preferably dark and hidden, for their overwintering home

Stink Bug Prevention

It is difficult to control which critters visit the yard without the use of professional pest control. But this does not mean that it is impossible to keep them from invading the house. The key to preventing stink bugs is sealing all potential entry points before they have a chance to invade. Filling the cracks and crevices is the first step in prevention, as the small size of these bugs makes it easy to fit in tiny spaces. Use caulk to seal any cracks around pipes, doors, windows, siding, and light fixtures. Copper mesh is great for filling larger gaps in these areas.

Also, check all screens on windows and sliders for rips and holes. Use extra screen material to patch the spaces, or replace the whole screen if there are more imperfections than not. Keep all doors and windows closed when not in use to put a solid barrier in between the stink bugs and the indoors. Finally, consider changing all exterior light bulbs to a more yellow hue during the later months. Stink bugs are drawn to the normal porch lights, and these can also prompt them to move in for the winter.

Pointe Solves Stink Bugs

The time of year can dictate the types of treatments applied against stink bugs, which is why Pointe Pest Control treats for these pests every season. We provide both preventative and responsive treatments, as with every pest, in order to keep your home or business pest-free consistently. Some online sources recommend simply vacuuming up any stink bugs or boxelder bugs you find, but this is not the best idea. Both bugs will release their defense mechanisms, which will leave a vacuum cleaner stained and smelly.

Instead, call in the pros at Pointe Pest Control. Our knowledgable technicians will begin by inspecting the property and taking the current season into account to move forward with the best treatments. The typical treatments for stink bugs are sprays and exclusion work. We only use EPA-approved chemical treatments, and we guarantee their efficacy and safety around both people and pets. Our technicians spray the most pest-populated areas, as well as three feet up and three feet out from the spots, to be confident that we are not missing any bugs. To keep the pests out of your home, we will apply barrier sprays and granules, and fill in any small entry points. Give us a call today to schedule a visit and give bugs the boot!

Highly Recommended

Pointe Pest Control is highly recommended for their service and professionalism. We had stink bugs, which neighbors told us could never be resolved by hiring an exterminating company. We have not seen 1 bug since they started servicing our house. Keep up the great work PPC!

Gayle Young

Naperville

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Stink bugs

Stink bugs

Live Stink Bug-Free with Pointe!

FREE PEST CONTROL QUOTE

The Big Stink With Pests

A Garden of Bugs

The All-Crop Diet

Contact Us for Stink Bug Prevention!

Stink Bug Prevention

Treat to Protect

Pest-Free Guarantee

Box Elders vs. Stink Bugs

Stink Bug Prevention

Pointe Solves Stink Bugs

Highly Recommended

Free Pest Control Quote

Contact Us Form

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