Can you tell me how to get rid of stink bugs in the home and garden? They’re eating up my green beans. We keep finding them in the house, too.
Carol J., Ankeny, Iowa
Stink bugs are real pests. I believe you when you say you want to know how to get rid of stink bugs in your home. Equally important, you can keep them out of your garden, while repelling insects that cause problems, as well.
In the meantime, I’ll begin by explaining how to repel stink bugs. These smelly insects hate the strong odor of garlic. If you want to keep stink bugs away from an area, use a garlic-scented repellent. Mix four teaspoons of powdered garlic in two cups of water and spray that where you’ve seen the bugs. This remedy works well to keep stink bugs off tomatoes and other plants outdoors. Due to the odor, this may not be the ideal spray for indoors.
Now, it could be that you’re not a fan of garlic yourself. In that case, use mint. Combine ten drops of peppermint oil or two teaspoons of crushed mint leaves in two cups of water. Add to a spritzer and spray all over. This scent also repels stink bugs. However, it smells a lot more pleasant to humans than garlic.
If you want to see a complete list, here is how to get rid of stink bugs in the home with home remedies made with simple ingredients and tools.
Furthermore, if you want to kill stink bugs, plus stop them from reproducing, you’ll need different tools. First, put 3/4-cup of dish detergent in a quart of warm water and spray that on the insects. You can also use the natural insecticide neem oil mixed with water and a little dish soap as the way to use neem oil for stink bugs. This solution not only kills them on contact, but it also stops stink bugs from laying eggs, too. Neem oil isn’t harmful to beneficial insects like earthworms, bees, or ladybugs.
Also, to have yellow jackets around as natural predator, one other way to get rid of stink bugs is to sprinkle diatomaceous earth on plants and the surrounding soil. This powdered rock contains sharp ingredients that destroy the bugs’ exoskeletons. Create a barrier around your garden, or block off windows and doors with diatomaceous earth to keep out unwanted insects.
In conclusion, I hope this helps you keep your home and garden free from stink bugs.
Joan