How to Kill a Stink Bug That Is in Your House

Since an epidemic that began in 1998, brown marmorated stink bugs have appeared in as many as 33 U.S. states, posing a smelly pest problem to homeowners across the country. Stink bugs lay up to 30 eggs per nesting season, infesting homes and devastating fruit and vegetable plants. Simply squashing a stink bug creates the foul odor from which these bugs take their moniker, so you'll have to rely on more creative methods to kill a stink bug in your house.

Things You'll Need

• Vacuum cleaner
• Lidded jar of rubbing alcohol or hot sauce
• Sealable sandwich bag
• Aerosol fogger

Instructions

1. Vacuum up the stink bug and its mates using a vacuum cleaner. Use a hose and nozzle for easy maneuverability, or a simple handheld vac for just one bug. Look for stink bugs around openings, such as window frames, door trim and exhaust fans. The pests also gather near ceiling lights. Empty the vacuum's bag as soon as you're done sucking the bug or bugs up; dispose of the bag outdoors, before the dead bugs begin to stink up the house.

2. Fill a lidded jar with rubbing alcohol. Pluck up the stink bug, taking care not squash it between your fingers, place it in the alcohol and close the lid tight. This kills the insect within 15 seconds. This method also works with hot sauce in place of rubbing alcohol.

3. Pluck up the bug and flush it down the toilet. Again, take care not to squeeze too hard -- squishing the bug between your fingers will make your hand stink for a few hours.

4. Place the caught bug in a sealed sandwich bag. It'll take a few months to suffocate this resilient insect, but the pest will eventually die.

5. Use an indoor aerosol fogger to kill multiple stink bugs that have amassed in certain rooms. Place the fogger on a chair or table, remove the tab and exit the room. Each fogger varies, so follow all the instructions and heed the warnings on the can's label. This takes care of the bugs, but won't prevent new ones from entering the house.

Tips & Warnings

• Though it's a non-lethal method, simply picking stink bugs up and throwing them outside is perhaps the easiest method to get individual stink bugs out of the house.

• Use a micro-encapsulated pest control product around perimeters, such as doors and windows, to prevent stink bugs from entering the home.

References

• The Daily Mail; Stink Bug Epidemic Spreads...; Daniel Bates; March 2011
• The Daily Record; 21 Unique Ways to Kill Stink Bugs in NJ...; Cindy Capitani; September 2010
• The Roanoke Times; Use a Vacuum Cleaner to Get Rid of Stink Bugs; John Abrogast; December 2006
• University of Kentucky; Limitations of Home Insect Foggers; Michael F. Potter; April 1999

Resources

• Ask the Exterminator; How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs; Rick Steinau