Summary: Using a stink bug trap is an excellent method for getting rid of stink bugs and the good news is that its fairly cheap and easy to make one at home. Although these little bugs don’t really pose much of a health risk, it’s important to get rid of them as soon as you can as they can also let off a terrible smell if frightened.
A stink bug trap can be set up at your house or office in just a couple of hours. Even though there is no need to be scared of them, lots of people want to remove them from their home because they are terrified of insects. Stink bugs often fly in a rather large swarm, making it difficult to remove all of them quickly. to I personally always try and get rid of stink bugs fast so that I don’t have the creepy experience of climbing into bed and finding out that I am sharing it with a stink bug. The purpose of this article is to educate you on controlling these pests and learning how you can get rid of your stink bug infestation with effective traps. Follow the steps in this article and you will be stink bug free in no time!
What Attracts Stink Bugs?
Small Stink Bug 
Interestingly, during the warmer seasons, stink bugs can be found on fruits and in vegetable gardens. They can pose a serious threat to farmers as they can potentially destroy crops that are used to subsistence living so often they must capture them or they have to die. The key is to just maintain a decent level of stink bug control and you will be fine. Please don’t confuse stink bugs with boxelder bugs as they look fairly similar. To the most of us, they are simply an annoyance, especially when they come wandering into our home. Although stink bugs are present throughout the year, they usually start making their appearance in most households during the colder months since they try and seek shelter from the lower temperature.
Sometimes this move to find cover doesn’t affect us much as places like garages, barns and things like outdoor sheds are rarely inhabited by humans. However, when they start moving into our living space, its time to take action otherwise you could find yourself with a stink bug infestation. Since they are being attracted to warmth, the only way to get rid of them is to make some kind of stink bug trap and then either kill them or take them far away from your home. Although the second one may seem more humane, just remember that unless you take them far away, they will keep coming back. If you also have a fruit fly problem, check out this link for an effective diy fruit fly trap that works!.
Building Your Own Homemade Stink Bug Trap
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Individuals often opt to try out their local exterminator to help them to get rid of their stink bug problem. However, while they do help, sometimes the solution is only temporary. If you are determined to fight the infestation by yourself, you are in the right place.
After much research, I found a very effective method on how to eliminate stink bugs from my home by building my own bug trap. Stink bugs are attracted to light and the warmth that they give. A battery powered light will attract them and a bottle will trap them. Lets learn how to make one right away. In order to make these insect traps, you will need to acquire a soda bottle, foam, glue, tape and a small battery powered torch. The lovely thing about this trap is that most of the items can be easily found at almost any general store, which makes things much easier.
Building The Trap For Stink Bugs
Step 1: The first thing that you need to do is to find yourself an empty soda/juice bottle and to cut the top off using a craft knife or something equally as sharp. If possible, try and cut it just above the label and be sure to make it a clean cut. Please be very careful when doing this, first time that I made one of these traps I cut myself fairly badly using a very sharp craft knife because the blade slipped. Once the top is off the bottle, you are ready to proceed.
Step 2: Grab some foam or something that will give the stink bugs traction (so they can actually climb up your trap to get to the light) I have found that double sided tape also works (make sure you only peal the one side off it and stick that side directly onto the bottle itself otherwise the insects will just get stuck). However, you should be able to find and purchase some foam from any decent hardware store in your area and I recommend that you rather use it then bother with the alternatives (its pretty cheap anyways). If you are using the foam as I have just suggested, use some household glue to stick it to the sides of the bottle.
Step 3: Next, you need to take the battery powered light and attach it to the bottom of the bottle. Make sure that you place it facing upwards so that the light is nice and bright inside your trap. Later, when we place this trap inside a dark room, the light will attract the stink bugs and make them climb into the bottle, only to discover that they are trapped afterwards. Pretty damn brilliant isn’t it 😉 Depending on the shape of your bottle, you might need to find a torch light that fits and its preferable to do this before you start building this trap. Our next challenge is to make sure that they stay there and do not get out.
Step 4: Next, take the piece that you cut off earlier, invert it and stick it onto the other part of the bottle using tape. As shown in the diagram, make sure that you attach it firmly and ensure that there are no gaps between the edges. If there are gabs, this could result in the insects escaping, definitely something that we want to avoid! The only entrance (and exit) should be through the hole in the middle as this is where the stink bugs will fall and be unable to escape. Some people like to put a little bit of a soapy solution near this hole as this ensures that the insect will fall down and definitely will not be able to get out.
Step 5: Lastly, place your completed stink bug trap in a dark area in your home (such as your garage or attic) as this will ensure that bugs are attracted to the light from the bottle. Of course, this means that this trap works especially well during the night so put a couple around your house and it will help you get rid of stink bugs nice and quickly. Just a word of warning, I have found that sometimes other bugs are attracted to these and as a result, just be a little cautious when emptying it or you might be in for a nasty surprise.
Well Done, You Have the Ultimate Stink Bug Solution!
And there you have it, that’s how you build your very own trap for stink bugs that can help you get rid of these nasty insects once and for all without anything actually being forced to die. Of course, its up to you what you will do with them after they are caught, some people drop them in a bucket of water and ammonia (which kills them instantly by the way, so don’t stress about them suffering) and others dispose of them by taking them outside. As long as they are gone, you are fine. As mentioned at the beginning, while its your choice, if you decide on the second option, make sure that you literally drive up the road to drop them off somewhere.
Do not just take them into your garden as they will come back and you will have to repeat this entire exercise again. As you can see, getting rid of stink bugs is really easy and highly recommended and this process is very cheap. Another pest that often bothers people is fruit flies. If you are fighting an infestation, I highly encourage to read this article on removing fruit flies from your home and garden. I hope that you enjoyed this post and will share it with your friends so that they can make a trap for stink bugs.
Hello! My name is Natasha, and I have been helping people with their insect problems since 2012. I have published a book, worked with many pest control companies, and helped thousands with various infestations on a one-to-one basis. My goal for this blog is to create evidence-based guides that are easy to understand, provide sufficient depth and can be trusted to be very accurate. Please remember that my guides are for informational purposes only, and that you agree to the terms of use when reading content on this website. If you leave a comment, I typically respond within 48 hours.
Hi!. We had a bug in our house that was bigger than a stink bug. It was gray in color and hard shelled body. It had more legs than a stink bug. I know stink bugs are red and black but this one reminded me of that. With so little information, can you help me find out what it looks like?
Hi Charmaine, it is tricky, your best bet is to capture the insect and take it somewhere to be identified. Otherwise verbal explanation leaves much room for an incorrect assessment. Hope that helps!
Hi Natasha, we are over loaded by these stink bug and I’m sick of the smell. You’re idea sounds great but I am wondering were to get the light and where to put the light on the trap? Thanks again for the idea. P/S we are having a swarm of honey bees at this time and we were told to make a trap kinda like this except put sugar, water, vinegar and a banana peel inside after cutting a hole just below the curve to attract yellow jackets and different kinds of bees.. It’s not to trap the honey bees but I had someone to come and collect the honey bees. Thanks again
Hi Freda! The light can be purchased from walmart, home depot or even amazon and you must put it at the bottom of the bottle. Thanks for that info, will definitely keep it in mind for my readers. 🙂
I haven’t Tried this trap yet.. but I will be soon. I was just wondering, it is currently October 19th….is there a certain time of year I should use this trap to see the best possible results, or any certain time of the year that this trap may not work as well?
Hi John. Anytime of the year is fine, whenever you have a problem with stink bugs I guess. 🙂
They are horrible nasty little bugs! Ugh I don’t like them.
Same, they really stink.. (I’ll let myself out) 😛
Hi Natasha,
We don’t seem to have many stink bugs around this area. I was just curious what do they smell like?
Hi Sam, like rotten garbage 😛
Stink bugs have a smell of old locker room socks, mixed with musk and rotten compost. Not pleasant at all x.x We have them all in our house. they like to hide in the curtains. But they really do have a horrible stench and it isn’t a lite smell either, it’s a very heavy pungent odor that smells like coriander. The odor can be described in a lot of different ways.
Hi Heather! Thanks for helping Sam, I am sure the rest of the community will benefit as well 🙂
Hi I have a problem with stink bugs too so Natasha please help what should I do?
Hi Harley, try these stick bug traps?
Will your trap work for outdoors? I live on an organic farm. Our field of vegetable is being attacked by stink bug (harlequin bug). Any suggestions?
Hi James! If it’s dry outside, yes it will work.
I have made a trap like this but cannot see, to catch any stink bugs. They can definitely crawl up the bottle bec I have placed them on it and they move quickly around it. I bought an led light that is round and fits perfectly and I used camo duct tape around the bottom. The only way I can get them in the trap is to knock them in it and then they cannot get out. But they refuse to crawl into it on their own, even at night when it’s totally dark.
Hi there, just make sure that there are no other lights around when using the trap. The trap must contain the only light and the bugs will be drawn to it. Good luck!
If I put it next to my home (outdoor) garden , do you think it would attract more stinkbugs to the garden, or just remove the ones that are there?
This trap has been made for indoors. To be honest, I havn’t tried it outdoors but then again, unless they are a major problem outside, you only really want to keep them from entering your home. Feel free to try it and let us know 😉
Stink Bugs live in the trees during the warm months, but overwinter in your walls, generally on the sunnier side of the home. They are harmless to humans, and can be controlled by properly sealing your window and door frames. You will never be able to 100% exclude them, but those places are fine to start. When you see them in your home, it means that they are confused. Generally it is in the in-between months when the weather gets really cold or hot, then swings back in the other direction. They think its either time to wake up or hibernate and wind up inside, because by the time they get moving, the weather has swung in the opposite direction and they want a temperate climate. Pesticides won’t really work unless they have long residuals, and even then the bugs would have to walk over the barrier to have an effect on them.
Hey Brad! Thanks for the additional details, thats 100% correct. Appreciate your input and value your expertise in this area.
Are you guys nuts. Humane, catch and release, your not fishing! These critters are a pest. Kill them or maybe some day there will be no more tomatoes and fruit to eat. All thanks to the stink bug.
Hey John! Haha your comment made me laugh and in many respects, it is true. However, some people do want to get rid of stink bugs without killing them and if that is the case, this guide is perfect. Thanks for your input though 😉
I find that using a solution of any liquid soap detergent that has lemon in it or just lemon juice in water kills them. All it takes is four squirts of the soap to a cup of water. I have an old sports bottle I use to trap them, I just have a 9 oz plastic cup covering the opening and when I see one, I scoop it into the bottle, swish it around then replace the cup. Empty the cup after you’ve trapped a large amount because they begin to smell.
Hey Mary! Thanks for the great tip, I appreciate your contribution to this article and I am sure that others will find it useful. 🙂
The problem with and if you mean humane way is to release them back outside , then the problem will only get worse for they will breed and make more stinkbugs . In nature things kill each other and that is the natural way of life . If these creatures were not so much of a pest then I would say live and let live , but they destroy food crops , cause infestations in homes > not sure if you are a meat , poltry, or fish eater , but if so then they had to be killed for your meal
Hey Thomas! I agree with you, the best way to stop any stink bug problem would be to just to kill them. However, while I also agree with your example, you can release these bugs (after catching them) far away from your house. I know that its not a permanent solution but at least it will give a bit of relief for those that don’t want to kill anything. Thanks for your comment 🙂
Will definitely try this humane method! The local store has traps for $25.00 with $15.00 refills but they kill the insect. I do not believe the Creator said to Him(Her)self that one species is more important than the other! So…………no killing. Sounds great and if I adapt a solar rechargeable light (pathway) it can recharge during the day and be placed where needed at night. We have more now than in the winter. thank you!
Hey Bobby! I also enjoy the humane method. Its very effective and gets the job done. That’s an extremely good idea, I am sure that if you could put something like that together it would work well. If you do decide to do that, please take some pictures along the way and I will upload them to this article, with your permission of course 😉
My husband and I bought a tennis racked bug zapper. We just go around the house and we zap the little critters. Best $2.00 I ever spent. $2.00 at harbor freight.
Also on the killing aspect these are not native to our country and they destroy farmers crops. So on this matter I no problem killing them
Hi there,
I was looking over this information to make my own trap. Is there a picture or diagram to help me understand how it is supposed to turn out exactly? thanks so much in advance.
Hey Kourtnie!
I will be making a couple more in the next week or so and will get back to you with some pictures 🙂 When I wrote the article I didnt have any handy but I am sure that there are others that would appreciate some visual guides 😉
I think your website is really interesting, for there are few female who would be connected to the bugs.
Hey Tommy, yeah I am a bit crazy but I love dealing with and helping people with any pest control problems. Thanks for your comment, hope you visit again soon!
Hey I was just wondering if stink bugs sting or bite? I’m terrified of them and just wanted to know.
Maria
Hey Maria!
Despite many rumors, stink bugs actually dont have a taste for human flesh and do not bite humans. The daily diet of your average stink bug is actually plants (leaves, etc) and the only damage that they can do to you is fill your nose with a rather unpleasent smell 😉 Hope that helps, have a fantastic day!
As for damage that stink bugs do, I have trouble with them sucking the sap out of my Lima beans right at the end of the pod where it is attached to the vine. The pod will continue to grow, but it will be a flat pod with no bean inside. Very distructive. I try to keep my chemicals and poisons to a minimum, so I’ll be trying some of your traps. However, I’m afraid it will be hard to lure them from their food. Hope the light is the answer. Thank you.
Hi Jim! Hope that they help, I am sure that they will 🙂
 The only thing I found that will kill stink bugs is Dawn dish liquid mixed with water in a spray bottle . We are overwhelmed with stink bugs at our house. I spray the bugs through the screens on the windows and they fall and die. We used the power washer to clean the dead stink bugs off our deck. Dawn dish liquid will not stain your siding . It actually cleans it as you are washing it off after spraying stink bugs.
Hey Camper! Thanks for the fantastic suggestion! Another something that can be use for a more preventative, proactive approach is to use put lavender bushes by your windows. It gives the room a pleasant smell but also keeps these pests away. Also works great for fleas, ants, etc. Give that a try 🙂
I have tried these in late summer but will try them again because they are house swarming again. Did not catch any last time but I was wondering, are they really attracted to light? I have never seen them go towards light, but they do like sandwiching themselves in materials. Plus I don’t see them at night (probably hiding).
Hey! Not too sure how your comment slipped past my radar, but hey better a late response then nothing 😉 Stink bugs are definitely attracted to light but the trick is to draw them towards a single light source. So for example, placing a small lamp in the middle of a dark room will have them flocking towards it but it wouldn’t do anything if you did that during the day. Hope that clears things up 🙂
Hey Dennis. I have a great source of pictures but I am still requesting permission to use them from Huffington Post. I will drop them another email and hopefully I can get some pictures of these stink bug traps up asap. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
I really enjoyed your guide, gonna put it to use tonight. Would it be possible to get some pictures of these traps?
Oh my I absolutely adore this trap. I built a couple and I have found that its useful for getting rid of a ton of others pests!
Cheers
Robyn
Awesome Robyn, I am glad it worked for you. Yes, it can catch any bugs that are attracted to light, just be careful when emptying it as it can sometimes catch spiders, etc and I would hate for you to get bitten 😉
I have used many different pesticides but nothing really seemed to work. Or well, it did but it was short term and I was advised that I do not use it too often as it put my birds and other pets in danger. There are some lovely suggestions here on some natural ways to deal with these pests, gonna give them a try.
Hey Abidul. I am glad that you found my article beneficial. Poisons are never great, if you read any of my other articles you will notice that I always recommend natural alternatives if possible, regardless of the bug or insect.