Can't find a thread on this. Reports now are that these invaders from Asia are now known to be in 44 states, with no natural predators.

Now and the next 5-6 weeks are the invasion season for them as they seek dwellings in which to hibernate out the winter.

What have people found that works to diminish their presence?

Sealing up cracks and options for ingress seems to be number 1. Who is working out to be the best contractor to help where difficult to access soffits or other aspects of architecture make it difficult?

Have heard that mint scented sprays can dissuade the congregating pheromone that they secrete to tell other bugs to come this way into a dwelling.

What do people know that works?

Bifen IT, is what I spray with...it kills everything . I get it at tractor supply.

They’re a huge menace in the VA valley. Only thing I’ve found that stops them is one of our dogs. She eats them.... *gag*

Food grade diatomaceous earth.

Pick it up at your local garden store.

put it around the edge of your house, and even in your house if need be.

I have spread this in the house on the throw rugs and furniture (including in the beds) to kill fleas.

This works on the stink bugs and many other insects as well.

We have two kinds here in AZ. The little green ones that accumulate by the tens of thousands for a day or two during their breeding time. They arrive, breed and die. It’s a gross mess to clean up.

Then there are the long black desert walkers that will stick its butt in the air like a skunk and spray at you.

I’m assuming you are talking about the first ones.
We have our house, interior and exterior sprayed. The amount of dead to clean up was atrocious. Aside of that I don’t have any issues with them, but it also doesn’t get cold here, like you do.

I’ve found almost nothing deters them. Best thing you can do is keep the house sealed up tight till we get a couple strong freezes to kill them off. It’s that time of year where the try to get into the house any way they can. I had my porch slider open last week with just the screen door closed and within a couple hours we had close to two dozen crawling around the outside trying to get in. So disgusting. A quick spray with Terro stink bug will knock them all down but there’s so many it doesn’t matter.

Sealing up the house will help but not stop them from entering. All homes have to vent and the insects follow that warm air current and find a way in to overwinter. Diatomaecous earth doesn't really work well on them as they are pretty good flyers. A good repellent pesticide application to the exterior goes a long way to limiting them. Treat sidewalls, eaves, trim, and around all doors and windows. Basically any crack or crevice that they can crawl into. Best to do it soon as the nights are getting cold and they are seeking shelter.

This is a great website on how to deal with insect invaders.

Domyown.com

Click on the stink bug area for advice and certain chemicals they recommend.

No one seems to like stink bugs.
Does anyone remember a Far Side cartoon that showed three birds sitting on a couch examining a pizza that had just been delivered? The text goes like this:

“Let’s see - Mosquitoes, gnats, flies, ants....What the?...Those jerks! We didn’t order stink bugs on this thing!”

Unfortunately, stink bugs are here to stay. Spiders are eating them (so don’t knock down webs that aren’t inconvenient) and I’ve seen some birds preying on them when winter sets in. There’s also a small parasitic stingless wasp that seems to made its way to the States that is effective where it has popped up.

https://www.sciencemag.org/new...en-it-showed-its-own

Once they start coming indoors for the winter, all you can really do is collect them mechanically as you find them. There are a lot of homemade stink bug traps you can find on the webz so google for ideas. I made a collector out of a 5’ piece of heavy cardboard tubing and the two halves of a single serving size milk bottle from Chick Fil A. It works well for manually collecting the little bastards all the way up to the ceiling.



You just tap on the floor to knock them down inside the tube (they will naturally climb to the highest point so this is important), unscrew the cap, and scoop them up from underneath. It’s a satisfying sound to hear them rattling down into it. I put a couple of spoonfuls of diatomaceous earth in trap to desiccate the little shits. I like dumping it out in snow for the birds and the knowledge that they’ll freeze to death if they’re still alive.

Very helpful replies. Thanks!

The funny part about this whole stink bug issue is I've been dealing with them for years, I guess the good old American variety before these illegal aliens showed up... they love the top of chimneys and under rain caps and soot.

I've been a chimney sweep for 36 years and you almost always find them up there in S.C.

I started noticing them in northwest Ohio a few years back. we have the brown/gray ones. Little buggers are everywhere. They don't really bother me, but my wife and kids can't stand them.