If you live near fields or vegetation that stink bugs spend time in, your odds of dealing with a stink bug infestation are higher. But location alone won’t determine if they get inside.
Stink bugs spend most of the growing season outdoors. They feed on a wide range of plants, so agricultural fields, gardens, wooded edges, and other vegetated areas can support populations nearby. If your home happens to be near any areas that fit this description, you’ll probably see more stink bugs around and it means your odds of having a stink bug infestation in the winter are higher.
Wetlands, on their own, are not automatically a stink bug source. It depends more on what kind of vegetation is nearby and the habitat around.
Either way, fall is when stink bugs start to change their behavior. They go from focusing on food to focusing on shelter. Oftentimes, right after the first cold snap eases off, this can result in a bunch of bugs massing on sunlit walls. They do this for warmth, but while there, they also start probing for small gaps that will let them into wall voids or the attic. Common ways inside include windows, doors, siding, soffits, attic vents, rooflines, and utility penetrations.
Two houses beside the same field may experience very different indoor problems if one has tight exterior seals and the other has numerous gaps. That’s why, in the fall, it’s a good idea to check the siding of your home and seal any gaps you find. If there are worn screens or broken vents, replace those. Some fresh weatherstripping also helps.
If stink bugs are becoming a problem around your Waukesha County & Milwaukee North Shore property, Mosquito Squad of Waukesha County & Milwaukee North Shore can help with pest control around the property. Call (262) 333-0395 or request a free quote online.
