Stink Bugs & Ants in Bordentown & Lumberton, NJ

The Two Most Common Pest Calls from Northern Burlington County

If you talk to Burlington County pest control technicians who work the northern part of the county — Bordentown City, Bordentown Township, Lumberton, Florence Township — two pests come up again and again: stink bugs in September and October, and ants starting in March and April. Understanding these two pests, why they're so prevalent in this part of Burlington County, and how to deal with them proactively can save you a lot of frustration year after year.

Stink Bugs: The Fall Overwintering Invader

The brown marmorated stink bug arrived in the United States from Asia in the late 1990s and has become one of the most widespread nuisance pests in New Jersey. In northern Burlington County, stink bug season follows a predictable pattern: as days shorten and temperatures drop in September, stink bugs aggregate on the warm south and west-facing sides of buildings, looking for cracks and gaps through which to enter and overwinter.

Bordentown's historic downtown homes — many of them dating to the 1700s and 1800s — are particularly vulnerable. The old wood framing, deteriorating window caulk, failing weatherstripping, and gaps around historic window frames give stink bugs dozens of entry points. Once inside a wall void or attic, a single home can harbor hundreds or even thousands of stink bugs that emerge from their hiding spots whenever a warm winter day makes them think spring has arrived.

In Lumberton's newer subdivisions, stink bug pressure is also significant but for different reasons: proximity to agricultural land and wooded corridors along the Rancocas Creek tributaries means there are enormous stink bug populations in the surrounding landscape that look for the nearest warm structure when fall arrives.

Why You Shouldn't Crush Stink Bugs

Stink bugs get their name from the defensive odor they release when disturbed or crushed — a pungent smell that many people describe as cilantro or burnt rubber. Beyond the odor, crushing stink bugs can also trigger an aggregation pheromone that attracts more stink bugs to the same location. The correct approach when finding stink bugs inside is to remove them gently — using a jar or plastic bag — and dispose of them outside, or to vacuum them up using a vacuum with a bag that can be immediately sealed and disposed of.

The real solution, however, is prevention. Sealing the entry points before stink bug season begins — ideally in August — dramatically reduces the number that get in. This means:

• Recaulking window and door frames
• Installing or replacing door sweeps
• Sealing gaps around utility penetrations
• Repairing or replacing damaged screens
• Applying an exterior perimeter treatment in early September

Spring Ants: Sandy Soil and Aggressive Colonies

While stink bugs define fall in Bordentown and Lumberton, spring belongs to ants. Burlington County's sandy loam soil — especially prevalent in areas like Lumberton that sit closer to the Pinelands edge — is ideal habitat for several ant species. Warm sandy soil heats up quickly in spring, triggering ant colonies to become active weeks before colder, clay-heavy soils further north warm up.

The most common ant species we treat in this part of Burlington County include:

• Pavement ants: Small dark ants that nest under sidewalks, driveways, and foundations. They enter homes through cracks in the slab and appear in kitchens and bathrooms looking for food and moisture.
• Odorous house ants: Named for the rotten coconut smell they emit when crushed. They nest outdoors in soil, mulch, and under debris but readily forage indoors, following invisible pheromone trails to food sources.
• Carpenter ants: The largest ant species you'll see in your home. Carpenter ants don't eat wood — they excavate it to build nests. In Bordentown's older homes, moisture-damaged wood in crawl spaces, basements, and window frames is a prime nesting site.

Professional Treatment: Timing Is Everything

For both stink bugs and ants, professional treatment is most effective when timed correctly.

For stink bugs: An exterior perimeter treatment applied in late August or early September, before stink bug aggregation begins, prevents mass entry. Treatments applied after stink bugs are already inside the walls are less effective because you're dealing with a protected population in a void space.

For ants: A perimeter treatment applied in March, as soon as overnight temperatures start consistently staying above freezing, disrupts ant foraging before colonies establish foraging trails into your home. Early treatment is far more effective than waiting until you see a line of ants across your kitchen counter.

A seasonal pest control program that includes spring ant treatment and fall stink bug prevention, combined with regular perimeter inspections throughout the year, is the most cost-effective way to keep both pests out of Bordentown and Lumberton homes.

Get Ahead of Pest Season in Burlington County

Don't wait until stink bugs are crawling on your ceiling or ants are marching across your kitchen. Burlington County Pest Control serves Bordentown, Lumberton, Florence Township, and all of northern Burlington County with proactive pest management programs.

Call us at (856) 347-5079 to schedule a seasonal assessment and get set up with a program that keeps both spring ants and fall stink bugs out of your home.