Spring, summer, winter, fall – each season has pests that are more prominent during those months. Now that we are coming up on
autumn, knowing which pests are more active and how to prevent them will help you be in control of your home. Read on to see which 5 pests are the ones you need to look out for in the fall.
1. Hornets, Wasps, Bees, etc.
All of the different kinds of stinging pests really start ramping up in the fall months. They are getting ready to survive the winter just like all animals. They are busy as, well, bees collecting as many nutrients as they can from wherever they can get it. In addition, stinging pests were hard at work the past spring and summer, so the population in their colonies will be the largest than in any other month/season. We do not treat for bees because of their beneficial contributions to the ecosystem and the entire environment, but we do recommend having a relocation done by a professional beekeeper if you or any member of your family is allergic. Just remember that if someone is allergic to bees, they are most likely allergic to yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets, too. Wasps will mostly keep to themselves and are also beneficial to the ecosystem, but any animal will defend their home. If you inadvertently disturb a wasp nest, they will be aggressive, and each insect can sting several times. Hornets and yellow jackets are aggressive enough to not just defend their nest, but they will actually chase you and can also sting several times. Having treatments done for these pests is a smart move in the fall.
2. Cockroaches
Even though they are just looking for water and food and a nice warm place to wait out the winter, you don’t want cockroaches in your home. Their first priority is water. Knowing that, have a plumber inspect and fix wherever there may be leaks. A roach’s second priority is food. So even though it’s called spring cleaning, bring it into the fall! Check the pantry for open boxes that may have been forgotten about. Getting rid of clutter helps to get rid of hiding spaces, too. Make sure everyone in your household knows to clean up spills and crumbs immediately, so you don’t attract cockroaches in the first place. Your garbage can attract not only cockroaches but rats, raccoons, even bears! Tightly sealed containers can help with all of those garbage lovers, but also remember to take garbage out of your house and put it into those containers at least daily. The longer it sits, the more it smells and the more attractive it will be to cockroaches. If you want to keep cockroaches and several other pests out of your house, have a professional come in to search around for the holes and cracks that can allow them to enter. You need a trained eye for this one. Professionals know just how small the holes can be for cockroaches to squeeze through. Be careful of trying to take care of cockroaches with DIY pest control. Those tactics often don’t work and then you’ve used pesticides and products around your family and pets that you didn’t need to use. Most of the time, these DIY methods push cockroaches into hiding spaces that are just away from the product. That won’t get them out of your house. It could even make it harder for a professional to deal with them in the future. This isn’t the time for DIY!
3. Overwintering insects like beetles
Boxelder bugs, ladybugs, brown marmorated stink bugs – they are all the kinds of insects that will be looking for a place to sleep it off while it’s cold out. During autumn months, hey can get through under your siding, wherever any wires or pipes are run to the outside, and through gaps around doors or windows. They may be harmless, but that doesn’t mean you want them hanging out in your house all winter. And they may sleep over the winter, but your warm house or an unusually warm winter temperature can convince them the winter is over and it’s time to get up. That’s when you’ll see them in bedrooms, living rooms, etc. Making sure screens aren’t torn or ripped, having a pro come in to fill cracks (again!), and vacuuming often will all help deal with overwintering pests, but it will also keep them from dying inside your walls and attracting carpet beetles which like to eat those dead bugs. Be sure not to crush stink bugs, too. That’s their name for a reason.
4. Mice
If you have a hole as small as the size of a dime, a mouse can squeeze through it. They are really good at it, too. And just like beetles and cockroaches and all other animals, mice just want to be warm with food and water during the colder months. They also are disgusting, dirty creatures. As they walk around, their feet pick up bacteria and germs and transfer it wherever else they walk like onto food surfaces, counters, pantries, and all other surfaces in your home you think are clean. Seeing one mouse is enough of a shock when it’s in your home, but the unfortunate truth is where there is one, there are probably many. Keeping pantry items in airtight containers will help since they can chew straight through cardboard, and of course cleaning up spills and sweeping up crumbs will help. We really do recommend bringing in a mouse exterminator, though. Much like cockroaches, DIY isn’t a great option for mice. Actually, bring in the professional pest control company before you see a mouse. Mice can breed very, very quickly and the situation can out of hand pretty fast, so preventative methods are best.
5. Spiders
Is spider season every season? Pretty much, yes. Read on for why that is. Are you sweeping away spider webs in the corners of your home after you’ve swept them away just a couple days prior? Besides meaning you obviously have spiders, it also means you have plenty of other insects for them to eat. There are a few things that you could do that may help. Try not to sweep away webs outside your home. If they are living happily outside, letting them be will not force them to find somewhere else (like inside!). You could have a pest control company come in to take care of them, but it’s not really worth it to have them treat for just spiders. You don’t have to like them, but they will take care of the insect population that may be in your home. You’re better off bringing in an exterminator for routine services that will deal with pests every season. Find a pest control company that can offer you that year-round type of service. There’s not much else you can do about spiders since they are small and can fit through the tiniest of crevices.
Some autumn pests are easier than others to prevent. Routine pest control services are really your best bet since those services can take care of the pests that can come with each season – not just the fall. And, of course, that same company should be able to help with the holes, cracks, and crevices that can let pests like mice, cockroaches, spiders, and lots of other insects in. Being prepared is step 1, and it sounds like you’re ready to take it.