Get rid of stink bugs without pests

Added on 03 April 2020

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Rightly named for the unpleasant odor they release when threatened, stink bugs can be identified easily by the shield shape located on their backs. The color of stink bugs depends on their species, but the color ranges from brown to green with yellow, red or pink markings. Stink bugs are sap-sucking insects; they consume plant sap by inserting their mouths into fruits, leaves, flowers, seeds and buds. Their feeding can lead to discolored leaves that fall prematurely, stunted plant growth, damaged fruit and loss of plant vigor. Fortunately, you don't have to pollute the environment with toxic pesticides to control stink bugs.

Place water in a bucket. Add enough dish soap to make the bucket's water soapy. Put on gardening gloves, and hand-pick adult and young stink bugs from plants. Place each removed stink bug in the bucket's soapy water. Destroy all barrel-shaped, green eggs on the underside of plant leaves by smashing them between paper towel.

Plant French marigolds (Tagetes patula) and annual sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) in your garden. These annual flowering plants attract beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings, which prey on stink bug egg masses.

Remove weeds and overly grown ground-covers in spring. Doing so eliminates areas for stink bugs to hide and multiply.

Hang sticky traps designed to trap stink bugs. Place the traps about 4 to 5 feet above ground level and 10 feet from your home's doors, fruit trees and gardens. The traps typically have a pheromone attractant to help lure stink bugs to the traps.

Things You Will Need

§ Bucket

§ Dish soap

§ Gardening gloves

§ Paper towels

§ French marigolds

§ Annual sunflowers

§ Trowel

§ Sticky traps designed for stink bugs

§ Measuring tape

§ String (optional)

§ Scissors (optional)