Yes, stink bugs look for houses with light-colored walls that face the sun. They leave aggregation pheromones behind so they know to go to the same spot the following year.
If you’ve dealt with stink bugs on your home, you’ve probably noticed it’s not a one-time thing. The first time it happens, it feels like bad luck. The second time it happens, you start to wonder if something else is to blame. And there’s something to that because stink bugs don’t choose properties randomly.
Stink bugs like to gather on large, sun-warmed, light-colored surfaces. Pale houses with strong south or west exposures tend to deal with a lot of stink bugs. They favor properties that are close to orchards, gardens, tree lines, and landscaping because those are all food sources. When the first cold snap comes, they gather en masse on the walls and start looking for places to overwinter. They slip in through aging trim and siding cracks and then overwinter in the walls. And all while they do that, they leave behind aggregation pheromones that linger year to year and signal the next generation of stink bugs to do the same thing in late summer or early autumn.
The most important thing to do when it comes to stink bugs is to seal cracks and gaps. Caulk and seal the hairline cracks along window trim and frames, the gaps at siding seams and corners, the openings under soffits and along the roofline, the vents with aging screens, the weep holes, and every spot where a pipe, cable, or dryer duct passes through the wall. Do this in late summer or early fall, before the September and October flights. If you want to discourage stink bugs even further, consider perimeter treatment to help prevent them from making it to your house in the first place.
If stink bugs show up on your house every fall, Mosquito Squad of Mount Laurel can help. Mosquito Squad's home and yard coverage treats the outside walls where stink bugs gather before they get in. This will help you protect your interior before the fall flights arrive.
