They can increase the number of stink bugs in the surrounding area, but nearby crops are only one part of what determines activity on a house.
Stink bugs can feed on all sorts of plants during the growing season. They often spend time in orchards, vineyards, and gardens for that exact reason. So if your Southwest Michigan home happens to be close to any of those areas, you might deal with a lot more stink bugs than people in other parts of town.
As temperatures cool, adult stink bugs start to look for protected places to overwinter. This leads them to gather, much of the time, on warm exterior walls that receive a lot of sunlight. Light-colored walls that face south or west tend to see this the most. Then from there, if there are small gaps around windows, doors, siding, soffits, vents, and rooflines, they can use those to get into the attic or wall voids where they can stay for the winter.
That means two homes equally close to an orchard can experience different levels of indoor activity. One may have extensive exterior gaps or a strongly sun-warmed wall, while the other is tighter and less accessible. The nearby agriculture explains why the stink bugs are there, but the condition of the home explains why they’re inside.
The best time to do something about this is fall. By the time stink bugs have overwintered, your primary option is to wait them out. But if you prevent most of them from getting inside, the problem will be a lot more manageable.
If stink bugs are becoming a problem around your Southwest and South Central Michigan property, Mosquito Squad of Southwest and South Central Michigan can help with pest control around the property. Call (269) 340-3580 or request a free quote online.
