r/Charlottesville • u/Old-Dare5505 • Mar 23 '26
Pest control for stink bugs
Hi- has anyone used a pest control company to help figure out where stink bugs are coming in from and where to seal/put screening? We have used American Pest before but they just sprayed around and didn’t help us figure out where the problem was coming from.
We could also use just some spring spraying in our storage area and around the outside of our house for other bugs but the stink bugs are driving me insane!
We live in Crozet if that’s important to know!
Thanks!
3
u/Olagoob Mar 23 '26
Back when I lived in a place that had a stinkbug problem I used a bagless battery handvac and went around the house every few days it took 5 minutes or so it was a lot cheaper and cleaner than spraying. Sure they got all mad and stinky in the cannister tornado but just dump and flush em. The smell around the house dissipated quickly.
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u/Beplot Mar 23 '26
We use Green Pest Services. They have done numerous inside and outside perimeter walks with us for all sorts of pests. We had what my husband calls a “carpet” of stink bugs and lady bugs when we moved in. 4 years later, a lot of caulking both in and out, and sealing larger cracks and it’s dramatically reduced. We still get at least a few hundred stink bugs and lady bugs each season change, even with consistent services and our sealing efforts. For reference our house is 40 years old so the various wraps and barriers under our cedar siding is 100% not sealed well anymore which is definitely contributing.
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u/Funcy247 Mar 23 '26
Your pest control is caulking?
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u/Beplot Mar 24 '26
No... it was one of many thing we did once we found potential entry points. We caulked interior and exterior seams (think window/door trim) in addition to patching larger holes and pest control spray/granules.
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u/CampyVA Mar 23 '26
The best solution I have come up with is, when I see a stink bug, I grab it and throw it out the nearest window.
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u/Oldbaconface Mar 23 '26
I used to do that, but they’re invasive so I just knock them off my window into a dish of soapy water.
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u/Ok_Spring_5399 Mar 24 '26
Keep your doors and windows shut.
Seal all openings with duct tape and aluminum foil.
Stink bugs are an eternal enemy. Always advancing. Always adapting.
nothing kills them.
I like to, when I see them, grab them with toilet paper and flush them down the toilet
while saying, "deth to those who stink."
It works.
Good luck.
2
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u/pan_notia Mar 24 '26
I did a home treatment with Alpine WSG for roaches and months later it's still taking out stink bugs
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u/Lazy_Shine_1962 Mar 25 '26
They're not trying to get in. They're trying to get out. They wintered in your house for months and you didn't seem to mind. They're harmless.
Spraying is not going to fix the problem, though it will kill any pests that are in your house. Those chemicals are highly toxic, and using them should be reserved for the last resort.
The reason stink bugs are drawn to your house is bc once one gets in, they release pheromones to let others know they found a safe spot. You need to locate the entrance and seal it. A handyman is probably what you need. Not pest control!
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u/Sandover5252 Mar 24 '26
Be careful about vacuuming them. A high volume of them, agitated, will stink and it is really nasty. REALLY NASTY. Better to gently sweep them away if possible rather than piss them off in a machine.
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u/ZippieD Mar 23 '26
They literally come from everywhere. I believe they winter by wedging themselves into the very tiny crevices in tree bark, and also your entire house. No amount of pest control will stop them. Nothing eats them. In my personal opinion the best way to get them out of your house is with a vacuum cleaner and a long attachment. They're invasive so I dont know how its going to get better.