The Sneaky Way Stink Bugs Are Invading Your Home (& How To Stop Them)

If winter is on the horizon and you think you've noticed an alarming uptick in the number of stink bugs sharing your home, you're right. The truth is that these annoying little pests tend to make their way inside homes a bit more often in the colder months. While various things can attract stink bugs to the indoors, what they really don't appreciate is frigid winter temperatures ... and if they find a great way to get inside your home, then they'll happily make use of it. But if your doors are closed, how are they getting in?

Although stink bugs are relatively harmless, they can be a nuisance, so it's best to prevent them from getting inside. That said, their secret entry method is to slip through the cracks and crevices on your home's exterior. If there's clutter and unruly landscaping near these entry points, then it may be even more likely that they'll access your home. Most sneaky of all, they particularly love to tiptoe into your house right through windows that aren't 100 percent sealed — so if your goal truly is to no longer have stink bug guests over the holidays, it's time to do a deeper look at the windows, to make sure there truly are no holes or cracks on or around them.

For a stink bug looking to find its winter home, its favorite stealthy way to enter yours is through the cracks and crevices around your windows and doors. How are they finding these? It mostly comes down to poor maintenance by homeowners. 

Many people don't realize when their windows are in poor condition and letting bugs in, which isn't good, because these same cracks can lead to drafts and poor energy-efficiency as well. You should be sure that windows and doors are sealed properly, and that cracks are repaired promptly: if you can feel cold air blowing through a crack on the windowsill, that's a potential stink bug entry point. Even more sneaky, stink bugs may also enter through holes and tears in your window screens when they're open in the fall. Stink bugs will be happy to take advantage of any of these points of weakness to get inside. 

In lieu of that, stink bugs may also make their way inside through holes and cracks in your home's exterior walls, siding, and foundation, so you really need to seal those gaps if you want to keep them out.

To prevent stink bugs from making your home their own, the clearest prevention step you can take is to seal all entry points — and yes, that definitely means the teeny-tiny ones. Be sure to add necessary weatherstripping and caulking to doors and windows to eliminate openings. If window and door screens are ripped or have tears in them, don't neglect them. Always be sure to replace or repair window screens as soon as possible. In addition to this, be sure that nothing outside your home is attracting them. Keep landscaping trimmed well and don't let it get unruly near potential entrances. 

While you're at it, you may want to close your curtains at night and avoid having too much outdoor lighting since light can attract stink bugs as well. Alternatively, consider switching to yellow lighting to avoid attracting them. By the time you've completed all these maintenance tasks, you should hopefully be well on your way to enjoying a winter free from those clunky, buzzing brown insects with a smell that's hard to get rid of.