Waging War on Insect Pests Like Stink Bugs

By David Carscadden

Here are some tips for waging war on insect pests, and to begin with, waging war on Stink Bugs. Use these tips and you won’t be a victim of those nuisance Stink bugs, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes or any other creepy-crawly vermin that have invaded your residence or property anymore. Regardless how big or small the problem is, you need to take control of the situation.  You might want to hire a pest control professional service or do it yourself.  Have a look at the following pest control tips and tricks which should assist you.  You will discover how waging war on insect pests is winnable.  It is easy to get rid of Stink Bugs, Fleas, Ticks, mosquitoes and spiders.  You can do it yourself and save a lot of money.

Stink Bugs

Waging war on insect pests like Stink bugs is much easier than the tiny minute pests like bed bugs or fleas. Stink Bugs are fairly new immigrants to North America arriving in the late 1990s from China, Korea, Taiwan or Japan. They are various shades of brown, top and bottom, with copper, bluish gray, off-white or black, markings.   They belong to the insect family and are true bugs, not beetles.  They are about 0.67 inches in length and about the same width. The stink glands are on the bottom, the underside of the thorax. Stink bugs don’t pose much of a problem to humans other than the fact that they can emit a foul smelling odor.  They do however pose a significant threat to orchards, apples cherries, peaches, raspberries and pears.  They also destroy many vegetable crops including green beans.  They are suspected of transmitting disease amongst those crops.

If you have a problem with stink bugs, remember do not kill them by stepping on them. Stepping on them will release a nasty stink in your home. Instead, use your vacuum cleaner to suck them up. Since most vacuums have disposable bags nowadays, it is recommended, that you throw out the bag when you have finished the task. The bag will smell bad, so get rid of it.

Stink bugs can be persistent pests, so focus on your outdoor area to help eradicate the problem. Keep your bushes well pruned and make sure that firewood is stockpiled at least 30 feet from your house. Also, the firewood should elevated from the ground by about five to six inches.  Some members of the wasp family, some spiders and praying mantises are known natural predators of Stink Bugs. For more information on Stink Bugs read this.

Fleas

Waging war on insect pests such as the flea should be all out war indeed. It is usually a seasonal struggle, but if you are not diligent, it can and will last all year if you lose the battle.  It will then be necessary to treat, not only your pets, but your entire home as well. So, get started by using the vacuum on everything, the drapes, the easy chairs and sofas. Then wash all bedding including that of your dog or cat. Don’t neglect to wash all animal equipment and stuffed toys.

There are many great commercial flea and tick control products for dogs and cats on the market.  Most of them kill not only the adult fleas but also the eggs and larva present.  That’s exactly what you want and need.  They are very effective and act fast, before the flea can breed or before the eggs can hatch. If you do not eliminate both adults, eggs and larva, the fleas will breed and reappear to start the life cycle all over again. This of course is frustrating, annoying and expensive to say the least! For more detailed information about fleas read this.

Ticks

Waging war on insect pests like the dog tick is a must for the sake of your own personal health, and that of your pets too.  Ticks, are another biting, blood sucking  insect nuisance.  They are known to be a potential threat to your health, by transmitting Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.  These are diseases which can lead to much discomfort and even paralysis.  Insect repellents which contain DEET, are very effective deterrents  if you are going to go walking through tall grass or into a woody forest area where ticks lurk.

Mosquitoes

Waging war on insect pests such as the annoying mosquito is an annual warm weather event. If you have many mosquitoes in your neighborhood and a lot of them are getting into your house, there are several things you should do.  First and foremost, eliminate any standing water which is what they need for laying their eggs.  Tip over anything that collects rainwater, wading pools, old eaves troughs, down pipes and all other things in which water can collect and become breeding places for the mosquito.  If you feed the birds, and have a bird bath, be sure turn the hose on it to flush out the old water every day and re-fill it with fresh water.  It’s healthier for the birds and it kills mosquito larva.

You can buy mosquito coils which burn very slowly and smudge smoke for hours.  You can get small metal containers to safely hold them while they burn, and which can be hung up vertically,  out of the reach of inquisitive dogs or cats.  The smoke which has a rather pleasant odor,  will keep mosquitoes away from your doors when you want to come in or go out.  They will keep the mosquitoes away from quite a large area, so when you want to BBQ a meal and perhaps eat it out doors,  they won’t come around.  The coils are really inexpensive, and effective and will give you back your yard again, mosquito free! Hang up a couple of them for greater effect! For more details on mosquitoes see this.

Some Insects are Beneficial – “Ladybug”

Waging war on insect pests such as the Ladybug is a war that should not be fought.  Generally speaking they are beneficial insects.   There are many insect resistant plants for the garden. Strong healthy plants are more resistant to insects.  Keeping your plants well fertilized and cultivated will help.  “Ladybugs” (which technically are beetles, not bugs) eat sap sucking harmful Aphids by the hundreds.  Entomologists refer to them as “Ladybird Beetles, a designation more widely used in Europe.  It is a popular myth that the number of spots on their backs indicates their age, but this is untrue.  The spots only indicate to what species they belong.  In some countries and under certain conditions, like when their natural predators are low in numbers, the Ladybugs can become so numerous that they do threaten certain crops.  Generally speaking however, encourage them in your garden. Do not kill them. Read about this good bug or should I say Beetle?

Spiders

Waging war on insect pests such as spiders is another war which perhaps should not be waged.  First, it should be noted that spiders are not technically insects because they have 8 legs, not 6 as do insects.  Spiders are arachnids.  To minimize their presence in the home and outside, clean up the clutter lying around the place.  Spiders are attracted to stacks of books and old newspapers, so get rid of them. No one likes to have spiders in the home, but actually they kill a lot of insects.  If you object to them in the home, get rid of what attracts them there – insects.  You can easily capture a spider in a jar and carry it outside where it will help reduce the number of bothersome insects. Surprising facts about spiders.

Put these simple brief tips into action and they will help you waging war on insect pests. See more tips.  See articles on Fleas and Ticks right here.