Stink Bug Control - 1-866-453-7221 Regal Pest Control

Stink Bug Control in Southeast Michigan

The brown marmorated stink bug is an invasive species that has become common across Southeast Michigan. Like boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles, stink bugs gather on warm exterior walls in fall and work their way inside to spend the winter in wall voids and attics.

What sets them apart is the smell. When they are disturbed, crushed, or pulled into a vacuum, they release a strong odor that lingers. That single fact changes how you deal with the ones you find indoors.

They do not bite, sting, or damage the structure. Outdoors they are a different story, feeding on fruit, vegetables, and ornamentals in gardens and orchards.

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Signs You Have a Stink Bug Problem

Most calls we take start with one of these.

Clusters on sunny walls

Groups of shield-shaped bugs on south and west-facing siding, brick, and around the roofline on warm afternoons in September and October.

Bugs at windows and lights

Slow, clumsy fliers turning up on sills, curtains, and light fixtures during a winter thaw. They are overwintering adults leaving the wall, not a new infestation.

A strong odor indoors

A sharp, lingering smell after one is crushed, stepped on, or vacuumed. Many people describe it as cilantro or burnt rubber.

Damage in the garden

Dimpled, pitted, or corky spots on tomatoes, peppers, apples, and ornamentals through summer. Heavy outdoor feeding often comes before a heavy fall on the house.

Same weeks every year

Heavy on the outside of the house from late August through October, then inside again in February and March. That pattern points to an overwintering pest.

Gaps around windows and trim

Torn screens, worn weatherstripping, gaps behind shutters, and openings around vents and utility lines are the entry points they use most.

Where They Are Found

Warm, sunny exterior walls

Window and door frames

Wall voids, attics, and soffits

Under siding, shutters, and trim

Gardens, fruit trees, and ornamentals

Garages, sheds, and detached buildings

Identification

Stink bugs get confused with the other pests that come in at the same time of year. Here is how to tell them apart.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

About 5/8 inch, shield-shaped, mottled brown and gray. Look for the light bands on the antennae and the alternating light and dark markings along the edge of the abdomen. Releases a strong odor when disturbed.

Western Conifer Seed Bug

The one most often mistaken for a stink bug. Longer and narrower, about 3/4 inch, with flared leaf-like segments on the back legs. It also gives off an odor, and it overwinters indoors the same way.

Boxelder Bug

About 1/2 inch, flat and oval, black with red or orange lines forming an X across the folded wings. Gathers in much larger numbers on sunny walls than stink bugs do.

Asian Lady Beetle

Round and dome-shaped, orange to red with black spots and an M-shaped mark behind the head. Another fall invader, and it leaves a yellow staining fluid when handled.

The Stink Bug Year

Knowing where they are in the cycle is what determines the right service.

Spring

Overwintering adults wake up and leave the structure, often through the inside of the home. They move out to trees and garden plants and begin laying eggs.

Summer

Nymphs develop on fruit trees, vegetables, and ornamentals. Feeding damage shows up as dimples and pitting. Numbers build through the season.

Late Summer and Fall

Adults move to warm walls and start looking for a way in. This is the window where exterior treatment does the most good.

Winter

They sit dormant in wall voids, attics, and behind trim. Warm spells pull them out, usually into the living space instead of back outdoors.

How We Treat

Stink bug work is an exterior job. Here is what a technician does on site.

Inspection

We walk the exterior to see which walls they are working and where they are getting in. Gaps around window and door trim, behind shutters, at soffit and fascia joints, and around vents and utility penetrations are the openings that matter on this pest.

Exterior treatment

The product we will be using is applied to the walls where they are congregating, the foundation, and around windows, doors, soffits, and eaves. Timing is the key part. Treating before they start moving into the structure gives a much better result than treating after.

Entry point recommendations

We point out the openings that matter most and what it would take to close them. Sealing gaps in siding and trim, replacing worn weatherstripping, and screening vents cuts the number that get inside for years, not just for one season.

Ongoing coverage

On a service plan, the fall visit is timed for this pest, and if they come back between visits we return at no charge. Homes backed up to woods, orchards, or open field edges tend to see pressure year after year, and repeat coverage is what keeps the numbers down.

One thing worth knowing. Do not crush them indoors, and be careful with the vacuum. A stink bug pulled into a vacuum can leave the odor in the canister or bag for a long time. If you do vacuum them, empty it outside right away, or use a shop vac you do not mind dedicating to the job.

See our service plans for ongoing coverage

What You Can Do

These steps make a real difference between treatments.

Seal gaps around window frames, door frames, and where siding meets trim
Replace worn weatherstripping and repair torn screens before fall
Caulk around utility lines, dryer vents, and outdoor faucets
Check that attic, soffit, and gable vents are screened
Remove the ones you find indoors without crushing them
Empty the vacuum outdoors right after using it on stink bugs
Swap bright white exterior bulbs for warm or yellow bulbs in fall
Watch south and west walls in September and call at the first cluster

FAQ

What do I do if stink bugs get inside?

Remove them without crushing them. A vacuum is the fastest way, but empty it outdoors immediately, since the odor can stay in the canister or bag. Sweeping them into a container and putting them outside works too.

Are stink bugs harmful?

They do not bite, sting, or damage the structure, and they are not known to carry disease. The odor is the main issue indoors. Outdoors they feed on fruit, vegetables, and ornamentals, which is where the real damage happens.

When is the best time to treat?

Late summer into early fall, before they start working their way into the structure. An exterior treatment at that point significantly reduces the number that get in. Treating after they are already in the walls gives a much weaker result.

Why do I only see them inside in the winter?

They spend the winter dormant in wall voids and attics. A warm spell wakes them up and they head toward light and warmth, which often puts them in the living space instead of back outside. They are not breeding indoors.

Can I just spray them inside?

Indoor spraying does very little here. The bugs are inside the wall, not on the surface where the product goes. Physical removal is the practical answer indoors. The lasting fix is exterior treatment at the right time of year plus sealing the openings they use.

Do stink bugs multiply inside my house?

No. They do not reproduce indoors. Every one you see in winter came in the previous fall, which is why cutting off the fall entry is what changes next year's numbers.

Why does my house get them and my neighbor's does not?

Sun exposure and surroundings drive most of it. Houses with large south and west-facing walls, light-colored siding, and nearby trees, gardens, or field edges very likely see more pressure. Condition of the trim and seals decides how many of those actually get in.

Will one treatment take care of it?

A well-timed fall treatment usually brings a big drop in activity. Because the pressure comes back from the surrounding area every year, most homes do better with ongoing coverage than with a single service. We will tell you which one fits your situation after the inspection.

Do you treat commercial buildings?

Yes. We handle apartment buildings, condo associations, offices, warehouses, and retail properties throughout Southeast Michigan. Large sun-exposed walls draw heavy fall clusters, and the approach is the same: treat the exterior early and address the openings.

Other Pests We Treat

Ants

Bed Bugs

Beetles

Boxelder Bugs All Pests

Covered Under Our Service Plans

Stink bugs are covered under our service plans, which protect against over 20 pest types with no contract and unlimited free re-services between visits.

See Service Plans

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