Sasha CampbellPlant-eating stink bugs cause damage to plants by sucking and feeding on the plants. Though there is no need to fear these insects, in some cases, they can cause major damage to your crops.
You may find them on tomatoes, corn, green peppers, beans, and other vegetables in your garden. Some stink bugs may also enter your home in the cooler months for warmth and shelter.
Therefore, make every effort to control them as best as possible.
Identification
The stink bug acquired its name because of the unpleasant odor it emits when disturbed or threatened.
Some people say it smells like cilantro; others say it smells like burned tires. However, the unpleasant odor that the insect gives off is supposedly a defense mechanism against predators [2].
The adult bugs might be green, grayish, or brown, depending on the species.
How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs in the Garden Naturally
These are some of the best natural approaches to keeping stink bugs away.
1. Kaolin Clay
Kaolin clay, prepared in a spray solution and applied to plants, coats fruits and leaves with a white film. This forms a barrier that prevents stink bugs from feeding.
It will also deter other pests.
2. Natural Predators
Attracting natural predators that hunt for stink bugs is one of the best natural control methods.
Natural predators of stink bugs include assassin bugs, predatory stink bugs, bats, and some birds. Find out which of these natural enemies are in your area and how to attract them.
3. Trap Crops
You can use certain plants to lure these insects away from your garden. Trap crops for some stink bugs include sunflowers, green amaranth, buckwheat, alfalfa, and sorghum.
Plant one or more of these plants nearby to help keep flying stink bugs out of your vegetable garden.
4. Pick Them Off
The cheapest stink bug home remedy is to remove them by hand.
Quickly pluck them off your tomato plants, pepper plants, blackberries, or whatever you find them on. Next, drop them into a bucket of soapy water to suffocate and kill them.
5. Hose Them
Use a spray nozzle on your hose and put it on a high setting to knock stink bugs off your plants. This DIY method may not kill them, but it will deter them for a while.
6. Sticky Traps
These make excellent stink bug traps! However, use them with caution, as they can catch beneficial insects as well.
Use sticky traps to safeguard both your garden and house from a stink bug infestation.
Make a barrier around your garden. You can also place sticky traps around your window sill if these insects are finding their way inside your home.
7. Neem Oil
This natural pesticide can help control stink bugs. It will also repel and/or kill other insect pests on your plants.
To use neem oil for stink bugs, mix 2 teaspoons of the oil with 4 cups of water. Spray everywhere you find these critters.
8. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
Diatomaceous earth is an excellent remedy to get rid of stink bugs organically. Sprinkle the product at the base of the plants and on the leaves.
Alternatively, make a homemade stink bug killer spray by mixing one part DE with four parts water. Add it to a spray bottle and use it to spray your plants and the stink bugs you spot.
You can also use food-grade diatomaceous earth to get rid of stink bugs in your house. Once they come into contact with it, it will dehydrate and kill them.
Diatomaceous earth also works great against Kudzu bugs and western conifer seed bugs.
9. Eliminate Weeds
Most stink bugs will also feed on weeds and grasses, so eliminating these plants will cut out a major part of their diet.
10. Garlic Spray
Garlic spray is an effective home remedy for many garden pests, including stink bugs.
This treatment is a mixture of two cups of water and four teaspoons of garlic powder. The scent of this solution will repel stink bugs.
Use this DIY stink bug repellent spray on plants outside. You can also use it around your balcony, windowsills, doorways, and other entry points to your house.
11. Soapy Water
Make a soapy water solution and spray it directly on stink bugs and in the areas where they crawl. It will eventually kill them as they try to crawl through it.
For this killer recipe, combine half a cup of organic liquid soap with one cup of vinegar and two cups of water in a spray bottle.
Next, use this soapy water and vinegar concoction to spray those little green stink bugs, or whatever color they are.
You can also knock them off the plant and put them in a bucket of plain, hot, soapy water where they’ll drown. It will kill them almost instantly.
12. Hot Pepper Spray
Make a homemade spray for stink bugs by mixing 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper flakes with a gallon of water. After straining, you can also add a little dish soap.
This hot pepper solution will burn the bugs’ bodies when it’s sprayed directly on them.
13. Repellent Plants
Plants that repel stink bugs include catnip, marigold, garlic, thyme, and lavender. Plant these around your yard and garden to help keep the critters away.
14. Row Covers
Use floating row covers to prevent stink bugs and other insect pests from gaining access to your crops.
Cover your plants. Afterward, pick off the bugs that land on the covers and drop them in soapy water.
15. Essential Oils
Some essential oils work well to repel stink bugs naturally. Scents that will keep these insects away include rosemary, clove, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and thyme oil.
To make a homemade stink bug spray using essential oils, mix 15 to 20 drops of the oil of your choice in two cups of warm water. Shake well and use it to spray the stink bugs you see and areas where they frequent.
16. Vinegar Trap
You can also make a simple stink bug trap with vinegar as an ingredient. All you need is a cup of vinegar, half a cup of dish soap, and two cups of hot water.
Shake it up in a spray bottle and use it to spray the bugs directly. It will kill them.
17. Azera
Azera is a natural insecticide that can control brown marmorated stink bugs, green shield bugs, and other insect pests. It combines pyrethrins and azadirachtin, which both work against many sap-sucking insects.
Use it according to the instructions that come with your purchase.
Takeaway
Stink bugs may not only infest your garden but also your home. Getting rid of them before there is an infestation is the best course of action.
However, don’t mistake stink bugs for common squash pests. If you see insects on your cucumber plants, pumpkins, or squash, those are likely squash bugs on your plants.
See also: Leaf-Footed Bug Natural Control.
Add comment