Yes, attic vents are a common way that stink bugs can get inside. This often happens because screens are missing or damaged.
Stink bugs look for protected places to overwinter as temperatures start to fall. Houses are good places to do that. That’s why they often go for places like wall voids and attics, as they are good places to wait until winter is over. This is why it’s smart to check your attic vents if you’re worried about stink bugs.
Properly installed vents are there first and foremost to help with airflow. Problems come up when the protective screening that lets these vents stay open is torn, missing, loose, or has gaps around the edges. Openings can also develop where the vent meets the siding, trim, soffits, or other surrounding materials.
Stink bugs don’t need large entrances to get inside. Even small cracks or seams around the upper part of the house are enough for them to work their way in. This is also why homeowners often find themselves in the frustrating situation of not being able to find out how stink bugs are getting in.
When warm days happen in the winter, that’s when overwintered stink bugs tend to wake up. That can make them active again and send them wandering into living areas. Prevention, then, is primarily about limiting their ability to get inside in the first place: exclusion.
Check attic vents, soffits, roofline transitions, windows, doors, utility penetrations, and other exterior seams for gaps. Repair damaged vent screening and seal appropriate cracks without covering or blocking ventilation that the home needs. If stink bugs repeatedly appear around the same part of the house, their location may also help narrow down where they are getting in.
If stink bugs are entering your Southern Westchester or Rockland County home, Mosquito Squad of Southern Westchester & Rockland County can help with pest control around the property. Call (914) 533-1159 or request a free quote online.
