Monday, September 26, 2011

How To Practice Stink Bug Control The Safe Way

By Thomas Bleier


There was once a time when stink bug control was not something anyone in the United States was concerning themselves with. Unfortunately, that time is gone and more people are finding themselves faced with trying to figure out how to get rid of these smelly little insects.

During the 1990s, these little beasts made their way to North America from Asia, and because they have very few natural enemies in the United States, their numbers have increased dramatically over the last 20 years. When they were first discovered, they were not thought to be anything other than a household pest. However, recently it has been learned that the problem is much bigger than that.

Not only will these insects emit a horrible smell when threatened, they can also be one of a farmer's worst nightmares. Fruits and vegetables are a favorite meal of shield bugs, and with numbers on the rise, many orchard owners and gardening enthusiasts are searching for ways to eradicate these destructive pests.

When cold weather comes along, all stinkbugs caught unprotected will die. This is a fact that seems to be known by them, which is why they start heading for indoors as soon as the air begins to get chilly. To kill them once they get inside, many people use traps to lure them to their death.

One of the best ways to kill these bugs, is to make sure they do not get into your home. Sealing up cracks in the doors and windows is one of the first steps many people take in their fight against stinkbugs. You also might find it helpful to replace screens in doors and windows as well.

If you find yourself being overwhelmed with hoards of stinkbugs inside the home, you could resort to calling in professional bug killers. However, when you go this route, you will also be allowing harmful chemicals to be sprayed into the atmosphere. If this is something you feel you must do, be sure that you, your family, and your pets, receive as little exposure as possible.

Many kinds of traps are available for you to buy, or if you're feeling crafty, you can try your hand at building one yourself. Traps are not hard to build, but you can save yourself some time by purchasing ones that are ready to go. Many traps provide you with a natural way to take care of the problem without putting your health at risk.

Stinkbugs are attracted to light and brought to life with warmth. In order to make sure any bugs that have found their way into your home before winter are caught and killed, the use of a lighted trap may prove to be most helpful. Some stink bug control traps produce a scent that stinkbugs find irresistible; once they climb inside, a sticky substance traps them and prevents them from escaping. Other traps are designed to attract the bugs and drown them in liquid that is sitting on the bottom.




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