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As cooler days arrive in Middle Tennessee, you’re not the only one looking for warmth—stink bugs are too. These shield-shaped pests are one of the most common and frustrating fall invaders, known for the foul odor they release when crushed or disturbed.
The good news? You can stop them before they move in. By taking a few preventive steps now, you can enjoy a stink bug-free home all season long. Here’s everything you need to know about why stink bugs invade, how to keep them out, and what to do if they’re already inside.
Why Do Stink Bugs Invade Homes in the Fall?
In summer, stink bugs are busy feeding, mating, and raising the next generation. By fall, the second wave of adults is looking for one thing—warm, protected shelter to survive the winter.
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Spring: Adults emerge from hiding, feed, mate, and lay eggs.
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Summer: Nymphs hatch and grow into adults.
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Fall: As temperatures drop, these adults gather on sunny walls and slip inside through small cracks.
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Winter: They stay dormant in attics, wall voids, and crawl spaces until spring.
Once inside, stink bugs don’t damage your home’s structure, but they can be a major nuisance—especially when large numbers gather or accidentally emerge indoors during warm winter days.
Where Do Stink Bugs Lay Eggs?
If you have stink bugs in your house, you may worry that they’re spending the winter laying eggs in your walls and making the infestation go from bad to worse. Rest easy! This isn’t the case. Stink bugs lay their eggs under leaf piles in the spring and summer.
It is very rare for stink bugs to lay eggs indoors or in the fall. When they get into your house, they are on a mission to find a place to overwinter. When they overwinter, they go into a state similar to hibernation, so they aren’t active or breeding at that time.
To keep stink bugs from laying eggs around your yard, it helps to maintain your property. Cleaning up debris and leaf piles will reduce the areas where stink bugs can lay their eggs.
How to Keep Stink Bugs Away
While you can’t change the fact that stink bugs will be active in fall, you can make your home far less inviting.
1. Seal Up Entry Points
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Inspect your exterior: Look for gaps around siding, windows, doors, and utility pipes.
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Caulk cracks: Use high-quality silicone or silicone-latex caulk to seal openings.
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Screen vents: Install fine mesh over attic and crawl space vents.
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Repair screens: Replace any torn or loose-fitting window screens.
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Add door sweeps: Block gaps under exterior doors.
2. Reduce Attractants
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Outdoor lighting: Swap bright white bulbs for yellow “bug lights,” which attract fewer insects.
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Fruit cleanup: Remove fallen fruit from yards promptly.
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Garden harvest: Pick vegetables and herbs as soon as they’re ripe.
3. Act Early in the Season
Late summer to early fall is the ideal time to seal and treat your home, before stink bugs start looking for winter shelter.
Natural Smells That May Repel Stink Bugs
If you like a more natural approach, certain scents can help deter stink bugs. Have you ever heard the phrase “can’t hurt, might help”? That’s how natural repellents should be used and they work best as part of a broader pest prevention plan.
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Essential oils: Peppermint, clove, lavender, eucalyptus, citrus
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Kitchen-based options: Garlic spray or a vinegar-and-water mix
DIY Garlic Spray Recipe:
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Crush several garlic cloves.
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Mix with two cups of water and a teaspoon of mild dish soap.
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Spray around windows, doors, and siding.
(Tip: Always check that essential oils are safe for pets before using them indoors.)
What Eats Stink Bugs?
When they’re outdoors in the spring and summer, stink bugs have many natural predators. Birds, spiders, and lizards are just a few of the animals that eat stink bugs. Having a healthy population of natural predators around your property will help reduce stink bug populations and maintain a healthy outdoor ecosystem.
However, even with a healthy population of animals that eat stink bugs, if these pests are on your property, their predators won’t be enough to protect your house from an infestation.
How Long Do Stink Bugs Live?
The average life span of a stink bug is six to eight months. It takes a month or two for newly hatched stink bugs to become adults. Since they can have multiple generations a year, the stink bugs that become adults in the fall are the ones that overwinter in your walls. When they emerge in the spring, they have time to lay eggs before they die.
What’s the Best Long-Term Solution for Stink Bugs?
Because stink bugs are seasonal pests, you need to think seasonally when deciding on the best long-term solution for them. Although DIY prevention and repellents will help, they can only take you so far. All-American Pest Control recommends regular exterior treatments that include a fall barrier treatment. This will provide the protection your home needs for stink bugs and other seasonal invaders.
We offer several service options, including our Perimeter Plus and Complete Care plans that provide quarterly treatments to keep your home pest-free all year long.
When to Call a Pest Expert
When should you call All-American about stink bugs?
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You’ve been seeing stink bugs in your house on a regular basis
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You have a lot of stink bugs on the exterior walls of your house
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You’ve found large clusters of stink bugs in your walls or attic
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You want guaranteed protection
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You don’t want to have to deal with stink bugs every fall and spring
Contact All-American Pest Control for Stink Bug Protection
Dealing with stink bugs can be frustrating, especially if you find yourself doing it twice a year, every year. Instead of waiting until they show up in your house this fall, get proactive with the help of All-American Pest Control. Along with our traditional pest control services, our green pest control will keep stink bugs and other common pests out of your house, both now and in the future.
We have over 60 years of pest control experience in Middle Tennessee. You can trust our expert pest pros to provide the stink bug protection you want.
Contact us to request your free home evaluation today
Expert Pest Control in Nashville, TN & Surrounding Areas
Since 1961, All-American Pest Control has been your go-to team of trusted pest experts for homes, businesses, and home builders throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Our expert team offers termite treatments, mosquito reduction, rodent removal, ant and spider control, and wasp nest removal—keeping your property protected year-round. As a local, family-owned company, we take pride in offering reliable, professional pest solutions with outstanding customer service.
We proudly serve: Acorn Hill, Ashland City, Bethel, Burns, Chapsmanboro, Charlotte, Cumberland Furnace, Cumberland Heights, Dickson, Kingston Springs, Pegram, Vanleer, Pleasant View, Bon Aqua, Slayden, White Bluff, Tennessee City, Bell Town, Cheap Hill, Craggie Hope, Shacklett, Lyles, Hickman, Bon Aqua Junction, Dickson City, and the entire Cheatham County, Dickson County, and Greater Nashville areas.
For trusted pest control in Nashville, TN, and these surrounding communities, contact All American Pest Control today! Call (615) 824-8814 or schedule a free home evaluation today!