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Step 1
Stink bug Eggs and Young Nymphs, David Lance, USDALearning stink bug habits and about their life cycle is an important first step to controlling their population. Adult stink bugs can live for several years, going dormant during periods of colder weather after they have sought out warm places to hide. The females, when they emerge in the spring, lay clusters of eggs, from 30 to 100, on the undersides of leaves on low growing vegetation. There can be up to 4 generations a year in warmer climates with the young nymphs going through 5 instar stages, molting their soft external skin after each stage. The adults have a hard outer covering with fully formed wings and powerful stink glands. Strong fliers, they are attracted to lights and have sharp sucking mouthparts. There are hundreds of types of stink bugs found in North America with some of the worse pests not being native, but coming from Asia. The four best known garden and home pests are: the green stink bug, the brown stink bug, the southern green stink bug, and the marmorated stink bug (a fairly new introduction to the northeast). When feeding they inject the fruit or plant with saliva before sucking out the plant juices through their needle like mouthparts. They can cause plants to be stunted, fruits to be misshapen and discolored, and spread some plant diseases. During the winter months, in colder climates, they can invade warm houses in large numbers.
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Step 2
Marmorated Stink Bug, David Lance, USDAKeep your garden area clean. Because they like to lay their barrel shaped eggs on pre-existing plants, it is important to clean up weedy areas in your yard and to remove their hiding places. The females become active once the temperatures start hitting the 70's so watch for egg clusters and any laying females to destroy. Don't crush the adults as that will release their fowl odor which will actually attract more stink bugs. You can kill the adults by knocking them into a container of soapy water. A long stick with a small mirror attached is good for checking the lower area of plants for egg clusters. Preventing that first generation will go a long way toward safe guarding your garden, but it won't totally solve the problem.
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Step 3
Stink Bug Nymph, Russ Ottens, USDAUse some of the non toxic methods to control stink bugs. Stink bugs are strong fliers and will travel to find a food crop, so not only will you have to fight those breeding in your yard but incoming ones also. There are some non toxic methods to fight the bugs that come into your garden. One way to protect your crop is the use of row covers for crops such as peas and beans. Besides handpicking the bugs you can also use a small cordless hand vacuum to suck them up before dumping them in some soapy water. Stink bugs are attracted to the color yellow and at some of the garden supply sites you will find yellow sticky traps for trapping stink bugs and pheromone impregnated traps that will lure them in. Starting the battle early before you actually see adults is important because the young nymphs can cause feeding damages as well. Don't plant sunflowers near your garden as stink bugs are highly attracted to them. They can be used as a trapping crop to lure the bugs away from your garden where they can be sprayed with stronger chemicals without worry.
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Step 4
Resort to the right toxic insecticides if you have to. There are insecticide sprays and dusts you can use to fight stink bugs, unfortunately the hard covered adults can be hard to kill. Because they feed on internal plant juices, topical stomach poisons sprayed on the plant surface won't kill them. Contact insecticides including Carbaryl, Permethrins, and Sabadilla, are effective, especially against the young nymphs. Malathion, Pyrethrin, and Endosulfan based pesticides have all been shown to kill stink bugs. Neem oil has been found to have little effect on stink bugs. Diatomaceous earth will kill stink bugs and there are products that contain it along with Permethrins for a double knockdown. Read and follow all label warnings and directions when using insecticides and reapply them as called for to control stink bugs. Nicotine will also kill stink bugs when sprayed on them. To make your own spray crush up about 10 cigarettes in a half gallon of water and let it sit over night. Strain the solution through some cheesecloth saving the liquid and adding a teaspoon of dish soap to it. This can be sprayed on plants and it will kill stink bugs quickly, just be sure to thoroughly wash any edibles you get it on and to not get it on yourself. Insecticidal soaps will also work on stink bugs but be careful if you try to use regular liquid soaps. Some dish washing or hand soaps can be too strong and can burn plants.
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Step 5
Prepare your house to keep stink bugs out of it. Many people have been surprised to find large numbers of stink bugs in their house during the winter and early spring seasons. These are the overwintering adults, mainly females and the more of them you can destroy the fewer you will have to worry about next summer. To keep them out of your house, be sure in the fall that you check for any entery points they may find. Caulk around all windows and door frames, use window screens and repair torn ones, replace or repair loose siding or bricks, check your attic vents and install screens there, and if you have a crawlspace be sure any incoming pipes and duct works are sealed around. Any bugs you find in the house can be vacuumed up or killed with insect spray, but do not crush them or you will release their bad odor. Fumigants can be used to kill stink bugs in attics and other rooms but the dead bodies need to be cleaned up or they will attract other insects such as dermestid beetles. Finally since they are attracted to lights being sure that yours are turned off at night is a good idea.
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