Silver Bullet Pest ControlStink bugs crawling on the siding in September, then showing up on your windows and lamps all winter? They're spending the cold months inside your walls and attic. Silver Bullet Pest Control seals the gaps they use and treats the outside of the house at the right time, for homes across Bergen, Passaic and Essex counties.
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Text us a photo of the bug and where you're seeing them — we'll tell you what's going on.
The best way to get rid of stink bugs in a New Jersey house is to keep them from getting in: seal the gaps around windows, siding, vents and utility lines before September, and have the sunny outside walls treated in late summer and early fall when they gather there. Stink bugs that are already inside are spending the winter in your walls and attic; remove the ones you see with a vacuum or a cup of soapy water instead of crushing them, which releases the smell. They don't bite, breed indoors or damage the house, but they can show up by the dozens. Silver Bullet Pest Control seals and treats homes across North Jersey — call 973-510-2585.
The stink bug most New Jersey homeowners see is the brown marmorated stink bug. It isn't native — it came from Asia and was first found in the U.S. in eastern Pennsylvania in the late 1990s, then spread across the Northeast. Today it's one of the most common fall pests in North Jersey.
They feed on fruit, vegetables and garden plants in summer, which is why farmers and gardeners don't like them. In the house, they're a nuisance pest: they don't bite, don't sting, don't spread disease to people and don't eat wood, food or fabric. The problem is numbers and the smell they give off when crushed or disturbed.
Stink bugs don't chew their way in. They squeeze through openings that are already there.
In early fall stink bugs look for a warm place to spend the winter. They land on the sunniest walls first, then crawl into any crack they can find.
An opening as thin as a credit card is enough. Window air conditioners, loose screens and old caulk around windows are some of the most common ways in.
Once in, stink bugs settle into wall voids and attics where it's sheltered. Many stay there quietly until a warm day wakes them up.
Overwintering bugs wake up as days warm and try to get back outside. This is when people see them on windows and walls inside, often from March into May.
Outdoors feeding on fruit trees, vegetables and ornamental plants, and laying eggs. You rarely see them inside.
The big push. From roughly September into October, they gather on warm walls and squeeze into gaps to spend the winter. This is the time to seal and treat.
Mostly inactive inside walls and attics. On sunny days or when the heat comes on, some wander out into rooms, toward windows and lights.
If you're seeing stink bugs in the house in late fall or winter, they got in weeks ago and are living in your walls and attic. Here's how to handle it without making it worse:
The real fix for next year happens outside, before September.
Start with the south- and west-facing walls, where stink bugs gather. Look closely at window frames, door trim and where siding meets other materials.
Seal gaps around window and door frames, fascia, trim and siding joints with a good exterior caulk.
Fill gaps around pipes, cables, dryer vents and AC lines with sealant or foam backed by mesh.
Make sure attic, soffit and gable vents have intact screening. Repair torn window and door screens.
Replace worn weatherstripping and door sweeps, and take out window air conditioners in fall or seal tightly around them.
Do it before stink bugs start moving in September. Sealing in November keeps out next year's bugs, but the ones already inside stay until spring.
An exterior treatment works best when it's on the walls right before and during the fall push — late summer into early fall. Applied then, it hits stink bugs where they land and gather, before they find the gaps. Applied in December, it does almost nothing, because the bugs are already behind the siding.
Our approach for homes with a stink bug history:
Stink bugs often come in at the same time as boxelder bugs, ladybugs, clover mites and cluster flies, so one fall service can cover several of these pests. See also why there are so many ladybugs and bugs in October.
Best time to call: August or early September, before the bugs start moving in. If they're already inside, call anyway — we'll set up sealing and a plan for next fall.
| Method | Does it work? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sealing gaps before fall | Yes — the best long-term fix | Bugs can't get in if the openings are closed |
| Exterior treatment in late summer/early fall | Yes, with good timing | Hits bugs where they land before they get inside |
| Vacuum with a stocking or bug-only vac | Yes, for bugs already inside | Removes them without crushing; keeps the smell contained |
| Soapy water | Yes, for a few at a time | Bugs can't escape and drown quickly |
| Crushing them | No | Releases the smell and can stain |
| Bug bombs or spraying inside walls | No | Doesn't reach most of them and leaves dead bugs in the walls |
| Store-bought light traps | Catch some | May catch a few wanderers but don't stop the ones in the walls |
| Essential oils and dryer sheets | Not proven | Don't close gaps and don't stop a fall invasion |
If you'd rather not get on a ladder to seal soffits and rooflines, that's where we help. Call 973-510-2585 or text 973-510-2585.
Tell us where you're seeing stink bugs and how many. We'll get back to you quickly with a plan.
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They came in through gaps in late summer and fall to spend the winter in your walls and attic. On warm days and when the heat comes on, some wander into your rooms.
No. They don't bite, sting, spread disease to people or damage your house. They're a nuisance because of their numbers and the smell they release when crushed.
No, not normally. They spend the winter inside resting and go back outside in spring to feed and lay eggs on plants.
Vacuum them with a shop vac or a stocking in the hose, or drop them into soapy water. Don't crush them.
In late summer to early fall, before and during the time they gather on outside walls — usually August through early October in New Jersey.
They're living in your walls and attic. Warm, sunny days and indoor heat wake some of them up, and they head toward light.
Not really. Most of them are inside wall voids where spray doesn't reach, and dead bugs left in walls can attract other pests.
Seal gaps around windows, doors, siding, vents and utility lines before September, repair screens, and have the sunny outside walls treated in early fall.
Stink bugs release a defensive odor from glands on their body when they're crushed, disturbed or threatened.
Yes. We're based in Garfield and help homeowners across Bergen, Passaic and Essex counties with stink bug sealing and exterior treatment.
No las aplaste; aspírelas o échelas en agua con jabón, y selle las grietas antes de septiembre. Llame o mande texto al 973-510-2585.
Based in Garfield, we help homeowners in these towns and across Bergen, Passaic and Essex counties.
Updated October 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
