How to Kill Elder-Wood Bugs
No one likes coming home to the outside of their home covered with box elder bugs. Unfortunately, this is a common event in the fall season, due to the farmers starting to clear their fields, forcing the box elder bugs to move to a new home. Box elder bugs are also sometimes referred to as "stink bugs," and they don't always stay on the outside of your home; every time the door opens, in come the bugs.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Box elder bugs
- Bucket
- Dish soap
- Water
- Funnel
- Garden sprayer
- Vacuum cleaner
- Garden hose
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1
Combine in a bucket, 1 cup of dish soap--it doesn't matter what type of dish soap you use for this solution--with 1 gallon of warm water, and mix well.
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2
With the funnel, pour the mixture into the garden sprayer, and spray the mixture on the outside of the house where the box elder bugs are. Soon, the box elder bugs should begin to die.
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3
For those box elder bugs that come into the house and gather in large clusters in the corners, simply use the attachment to the vacuum cleaner hose to suck them up. Be sure to dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag after you're finished.
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4
Rinse the outside of the house with the garden hose after this process has been successful.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Because the dish soap and water solution is chemical-free, it's totally safe for children or pets to come into contact with it.