Stink Bug Season Is Back: Here's How To Get Rid Of Them

NEW YORK, NY – 'Tis the season for stink bugs and it's likely they're going to start popping up in your bathtub. But, if you think you need some kind of expensive, complicated way to get rid of them, think again.

A group of researchers from Virginia Tech University conducted a study that found that instead of fancy contraptions, all you need is a pan of water and a light to attract the bugs to their doom.
The necessary supplies:

• A large pan (an aluminum foil one if you want to toss it because, honestly, who wants to reuse a pan that’s had bugs floating in it?)
• Water and dish soap
• A light to attract the bugs

Researchers from the university's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences found the best way to get rid of them: Fill a foil roasting pan with water and dish soap and put a light over the pan to attract the bugs in a dark room.

The trap eliminated 14 times more stink bugs than store-bought traps that cost up to $50, the study found. The homemade model is comparatively cheap and homeowners might already own the components.

By the way, a stink bug’s ability to emit an odor through holes in its abdomen is a defense mechanism, meant to prevent it from being eaten by birds and lizards. Simply handling the bug, injuring it or attempting to move it can trigger an odor release.

Reporting by Kara Seymour/Patch

Patch file photo