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The brown marmorated stink bug is an agricultural pest. So it stands to reason that, if you have food in your yard that these insects eat, you're going to have more trouble with these bugs. Some foods they find highly attractive are corn, grains, apples, peaches, peppers, tomatoes, berries, sunflowers, and beans. But you don't have to have any of these fruits or vegetables in your yard to attract stink bugs. These insects can feed on ornamental plants, grasses, and weeds. They may also come into your yard for no other reason than to get warmth from the side of your home. When they do, this can allow them to accidentally get inside. Since stink bugs can eat such a wide variety of foods, it isn't practical to remove attractants to make your home less of a target. The solution is to seal as many entry points as you possibly can and bolster your defenses with residential pest control.

How to Seal Things Up

Stink bugs aren't the only pests that can get into your home. Therefore, taking the time to seal entry points can have a much broader impact than just keeping stink bugs out. Here are some of the most common entry points pests use:

  • Window and door seals. When a home is first built, windows and doors don't usually have a seal around them. But, over time, as gaps develop, caulking may be used to seal around a window or door frame. If this seal is damaged or chewed on by a pest, it can create an entry point for stink bugs.

  • Weatherstripping. Exterior doors have rubber weatherstripping all the way around. This keeps the heat in during the winter. It also works to keep the bugs out. Check your weatherstripping to make sure you don't have any gaps. It doesn't take much of a gap for a stink bug to get in; so look closely. One helpful technique is to turn all the lights off on the inside and examine the door on a bright sunny day. Those gaps should show right up.

  • Door sweeps. At the bottoms of each of your exterior doors, you should have a door sweep. This works like your weatherstripping, only it is made of a stronger material. Make sure you don't have any gaps.

  • Damaged bristles on sliding glass doors. If bristles are damaged, a stink bug can get into the void between your doors. Then, when you open the door, the stink bug comes right in.

  • Torn screens. If your doors and windows are closed, a torn screen won't allow a stink bug to get all the way into your home. But, like your glass doors, all that is needed is for you to open the window or door. It is smart to keep your screens in good repair.

  • Broken window panes. Getting in through a broken window is a first step many pests will take. If a rodent gets past your window panes and chews a hole in your frame, it will create an entry for stink bugs and other pests.

  • Gaps around pipes and wire conduit. When an animal chews or claws on the seal around your pipes and wire conduit, it can expose the gap that seal is protecting. This creates a pathway for stinkbugs.

  • Gaps around roof penetrations. There are many objects that can be inserted into your roof or objects that pass through your roof. The seals on these can be damaged by squirrels, roof rats and other pests. A common entry point is the gap around exhaust pipes used for sewer gas release.

  • Holes in the roofline where it meets the gutters. When animals chew on this sensitive location, it can give access to your soffit trough, which provides a pathway to your attic spaces.

  • The sill plate (sole plate). At the base of your home is a horizontal set of wood members that can be softened by water damaged and chewed on by carpenter ants, termites and rodents. This can create a hole for stink bugs.

There are many ways entry points can form on your New England home. Do an inspection and seal things up to keep stink bugs and other pests out. Once this is done, reach out to Big Blue for residential pest control coverage. With year-round service from Big Blue Bug Solutions, you'll have routine treatments that will work to eliminate pests that crawl in your landscaping and on your home. The fewer bugs you have crawling on your home, the fewer bugs you'll have trying to get in through any entry points you've missed.

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