Stink Bugs And Box Elder Bugs Move Into Homes This Fall

Have you wondered what all those little black and red bugs are that are huddling along the sunny side of your home or apartment? You may have seen these bugs before. Nashville, TN in October is the perfect climate for box elder bugs to start foraging their way under siding, behind shutters, inside your home to try and over winter until next spring. But, have you ever seen a stink bug?! Stink Bugs are brown and black and look like they are wearing a shield on their back. While stink bugs have been found in years past in the Nashville area, large stink bug activity is not the norm for us. Brown marmorated stink bugs are a crop pest in Asia, and they're especially destructive in North America due to a lack of natural predators. They spend summer ruining commercial crops like tree fruit, corn and soybeans, then flock into people's homes by mid-October to ride out the winter.

While it is certainly not too cold yet, both of these bugs know that winter is approaching, so they are looking for a warm place live to during the cold season. Do you know how to get rid of box elder bugs and stink bugs? We do!

What are box elder bugs?

These are common bugs found in homes in Tennessee; they are black or very dark brown with 3 red stripes on the areas behind their heads and approximately ½ an inch long and about 1/3 of an inch wide. Their wings are thick and leathery towards the base and at the tip, you can see they are membranous. You can find these insects throughout Tennessee.

What are Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs?

Stink bugs are another critter found in TN homes, especially during the fall months. They have a distinct shield shape on their back and when crushed or threatened they emit a foul smelling odor, hence their name. Stink bugs are not very large, usually less than an inch but when they find their way into homes, they can be difficult to control!

Why are they trying to get into my home?

Box elder bugs and stink bugs want to find a nice and warm place to spend the winter. They enter your home through cracks and openings around the exterior and they will spend the winter hibernating behind the siding of your home, in attics, soffits, window and door casings, wall voids and other protected areas.

What can be done to prevent them?

As with many household pests in Tennessee, there are some things that you can do on your own to help prevent these fall bugs from getting inside.

1. Caulk cracks along the foundation of the home.

2. Seal off any gaps around window or door frames.

3. Replace window screens that are broken or torn.

4. Call us for a preventive treatment to protect against fall pests!

And of course, if your attempts to fend off these fall bugs have been unsuccessful, give us a call!

For more information on our home pest control for bugs in Tennessee, please contact the professionals at All-American pest control today. Our Franklin pest control services can get rid of box elder bugs, rodents, flies, bed bugs and so much more! Just give us a call today to set up your first inspection and you will see why so many folks in Tennessee (and even Dave Ramsey himself!) choose All-American pest control for all their pest control needs.