Last year, I asked our readers to send me some of their home remedies for stink bug control. I was shocked to see just how many people have issues with stink bugs taking up residence where we’d rather they not – or at least that’s the general consensus. As temperatures start to dip, the little critters will begin their search for a warm cushy place to hibernate. Here are some natural ways to keep them from calling your house their own:
Hot pepper spray – Hot peppers kill the stink bugs, when sprayed on them. Make a hot pepper solution by diluting the peppers in water. Spray this solution onto the stink bug, it will burn the exterior of the bug and kill it immediately.
Damp towel – Soak a towel in water and remove the excess water. Now hang the damp towel in the garden. In the morning, you will find it full of stink bugs. Put the towel in soapy water and pour the water in the drain.
Garlic – Garlic has a strong odor and can drive away stink bugs, and many other insects. To make a solution, mix four tablespoons of dry garlic powder in two cups of water. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray it in the garden, near the entrance of your house and other places from where the bugs can enter. Repeat again after every three days, until the bugs disappear.
Mint – To make a solution, mix 2 teaspoons of freshly crushed mint leaves or 10 drops of liquid mint into 2 cups of water. Spray the solution in all the places, where you may find stink bugs.
Always keep the bushes and weeds in your garden trimmed, so the bugs don’t have a place to lay their eggs. Turning lights off at night help to keep them away as they are attracted to light. Hopefully we’ll all see a decline in the population – at least in our homes!
Until next time,
Megan
