I deal with stink bugs every year. Around where I live stink bugs start up in Septemeber. When we built our house it was during stink bug season. They got in the house because of doors being opened and windows being opened by construction crews. They find nice cozy spots to over winter in. We moved into our house at the end of Decemeber. When the house started to warm up the stink bugs were literally coming out of the wood work. That was the worst of them. Since that time we have only had a few in the house and they probably came in on either a person or just through a door being opened. They do squeeze through the frame of our window screens so they end up between the window and the screen.

If you are seeing them now it is because they were already there. They most likely came in while your house was under construction. When your house warms up they think it’s time to come out. Most likely you wont have as many in the house next year.

That gives me hope. Thanks

Realistically there is no logical way that a house can be built the whole way, sealed. New constructions can do their best to seal out corners but you can't do anything about the building process, when the construction workers go home or there's hours of break in between, little bugs can invade. It's normal in every home, even the newest constructions. You might see one or two or rarely see any but it's normal. Unless you built the house with no breaks and put a huge plastic protector over it, covering it every second of the day, a few bugs might come in. Stinkbugs are not as concerning as some other critters.

Yeah but it’s been almost 5 months since completion and the house fully closed. I’ve heard that some bugs incl stink bugs will try to enter during cold winter months seeking out the heat which is why I thought they might be getting in somehow, not already here, esp as I’m seeing a bunch of them now. And while I know they aren’t the worst problem, seeing 6 of them in 2 days is pretty annoying. Esp since the sales rep told me these homes will be air tight and there won’t be any issues with bugs.

Ig this problem will resolve itself over time then that eases my concerns. If this is going to be ongoing or even just every winter then I really want to fix it.

We had what we think are Western Conifer Seed bugs (look like big, slow stink bugs) in our new house. Our house passed a blower door test so we were surprised anything was getting in. We put mesh over every vent we could, but they're still getting in somehow. Next year we're calling an exterminator. :(

OP where are you located? I am in NC. Stink bugs look to overwinter before it gets cold. We get them every year along with asian lady beetles. Biggest influx is in September and October. By December there are very few to none around unless things warm up and then there may be a few. The stink bugs got in your house while it was being built. Doesn't matter if the house has been completed for 5 months. The house warms up or it gets warmer outside and it triggers the bugs which are already somewhere in your home like an attic where you can't see them to start trying to make their way out. They don't remember how they got in so they try getting out and end up showing up in the house. When we first moved in to our new house we didn't see any. Then they started making their way out and we would find them on our windows inside. The first winter was the worst for seeing them in the house. After this we get a few but they are still everywhere outside and ride in on us or fly in through a door when it's opened. They get into our screened in porches.

Stink bugs are hard to control. Not all insecticides work on them. They also fly which makes them even more difficult to control.

I am in pacific northwest and had very similar experiences to yours. We had a warm oct and they were every whaere on the exterior of everyone’s houses. Then they disappeared. Now I’m seeing them in my house. Had the ext out twice but will call againand see if they can check attic or crawl space and spray what ever they use there or throw down diatem earth. Kind of creeped out that they are inside..,,

In Illinois they move into your house in the fall, hibernate until spring and then come back out. It doesnt matter how well your house is built. they get in.

we call the exterminator when we see them swarming in the fall and he makes a run to my house to spray. it does not keep them all out of my house but it does make the spring exit a little better.

the little devils do like light siding and a southern exposure the best.

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/naturalist-news/2022-01-07-asian-lady-beetles-move-indoors-winter

Stink bugs are harmless to humans and buildings, though most are invasive and can be a serious agricultural pest, this is unlike the toxic stuff the pest control company will spray your house with in an unsuccessful attempt to get rid of them-- they are ubiquitous, any pesticide is only a very short term solution and hastens the day insecticide-resistant stinkbugs appear (they are already pretty to resistant to many compounds). .

And don't be fooled by the "all natural, organic, naturopathic gluten free" pest control guys. Their poisons are etiher completely ineffective or, if they work, just as bad as the other guys. None of them will work for long, there are another 10 billion bugs outside looking for a place to spend the winter.

So just scoop them up and put them outside when you find them in the house. They won't hurt you and aren't worth poisoning your house, pets, and yourselves over them.

Nope. I will not be touching any stink bugs and I want them all gone. will do what it takes.

This is going to sound crazy, but I was desperate, nothing was working, so when someone suggested it to me, I tried it. Cloves. Stink bugs hate cloves. I had more stink bugs than you've described, my home is older and not tight at all. So I bought a couple bags of bulk cloves on Amazon, and I also bought a bottle of clove oil. I filled small bowls with cloves, put one by the front door and back door, a few by windows, and on the kitchen counter. For the clove oil, I spread it where I was not concerned about oil stains, such as on the shelf liner in kitchen cabinets. You can also buy an essential oil diffuser, and put the clove oil in that, but I didn't do that.

Note that the cloves won't kill existing bugs - I vacuumed up any that I saw for a couple days (wasted several vacuum bags that way, but it was the only way I could do it). But cloves and clove oil will make the bugs desperately want to exit, and not want to enter. After 2-3 days of cloves, there wasn't one bug, and have not been any since, and it's been about a year. Your whole house will smell of cloves for a little while, hence the bugs won't want to enter. And it's not bad, it's like Christmas. Also note that you must keep the cloves from any pets; cloves are poisonous to pets.

After a couple of weeks, I removed the bowls and threw away the cloves which had lost their scent by then anyway. I have not seen any more stink bugs and it's been about a year, but if I do, the cloves are coming out again.

@M Miller Interesting. I will have to remember this next stink bug season.

@Iluvdark kychns I don't blame you. I hate those things with a passion. They buzz real loud and poop this nasty brown ooze. And of course they stink. Nothing like laying in bed in a dark room and hear that buzzing. UGH I bought a Bugzooka to suck them up. If you want to spray outside your house Demand CS works very well to kill stink bugs also Bifen IT.

As far as scooping them and putting them outside. No. They are invasive and destroy crops. Kill them. Scoop or catch them and put in a bowl with water and dawn dish detergent. They will die.

@vinmarks - when I decided to use cloves, I had googled about it and came across an article citing the Journal of Innovations in Pharmaceutical and Biological Science in a study of cloves vs other repellants including insecticides. But it was a study about carpet beetles. I am guessing that carpet beetles and stink bugs react about the same. Anyway, it reported clove oil as 100% effective as a repellant against carpet beetles. It stated that clove oil not only acts as a repellent, but also fumigant, and an antifeedant that affects reproduction and lifespan.