Fall pests are coming. We know, you’re probably looking at a cloudless blue sky on a warm day and thinking we’re crazy. Contact Environmental Pest Management and cut off fall pests before they can get started.
Most people associate spring and summer with bugs: mosquitoes, termites, bees, and ants are common hot weather infestations. You might reasonably hope and expect that fall and winter would give homeowners a break! Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Where Do Fall Pests Come From?
Bugs and rodents really aren’t so different from you and me. As the weather gets cooler, pests and critters of all kinds head indoors in search of warmth and shelter.
Whether you are a homeowner or renting, make fall pest management part of your routine checks and maintenance. You don’t want to be caught unawares by unwelcome guests while you’re worried about keeping your home warm and dry.
Rodents
Rodents are probably some of the worst fall pests to find in your home. They’re dirty, they carry disease, and they’re destructive.
How destructive? Super destructive.
Rodents can get inside the walls of your home. Furthermore, once they let themselves in, they will help themselves to the contents of your kitchen.
They can gnaw on wires, pipes, and cabinetry. When rodents chew on these things, it can cause problems with plumbing, electricity, and cable and internet connectivity.
Rodents aren’t content to destroy your home, they have to make a mess out of it, as well. One very gross tell-tale sign that you have rodents is droppings, for crying out loud.
These particular fall pests can be quite costly, as well. Tracking down invaders living in your walls is tricky and time-consuming. The damage that rodents may cause can also be very expensive.
Don’t let rodents happen to you. Prevent rodents by sealing cracks in your foundation, and storing your food in airtight containers.
Biting Insects
Here’s a fun question: how do you make bug bites even more annoying?
Bring them inside!
When fall pests that bite like bed bugs, fleas, and spiders decide to winter with you, you’re all trapped together. For them, being indoors in a house during the winter is like living with an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Autumn is a particularly bad time for bed bugs, who can travel on clothes and backpacks. As kids go back to school in the fall, they can inadvertently bring bed bugs to share with their classmates.
Professionals can help you guard against biting insects by sealing your house and spraying in hard-to-reach places.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are probably the most famous indoor fall pest. Another dirty, ugly home invader, no one wants to be stuck in the house with a cockroach infestation.
Like rodents, cockroaches bring disease with them into your home. Cockroaches especially enjoy places where bacteria and decay are found. They thrive in sewer pipes, and then bring those germs with them into the homes where they seek shelter.
Cockroaches can hang out all over your house before you even realize they’re there. Fall colds and other seasonal viruses may be spread by these stealthy intruders. They are even known to trigger children’s asthma attacks.
Keep your home clean and sanitized, particularly the bathrooms and kitchens. Make sure you vacuum regularly. Find and seal any cracks in your home.
Of course, cockroaches aren’t necessarily an indictment of your housekeeping. However, regular cleaning can certainly help prevent these fall pests.
Ants
Ants enjoy a reputation as picnic-destroyers. If only those were the only places they hung out.
Unfortunately, ants are pretty much a year-round problem.
In colder months, ants turn up in homes and can cause all kinds of issues. Some ants are odorous ants, and they may help themselves to your food. Carpenter ants can do even worse by causing structural damage to your home.
As with preventing most other fall pests, regular cleaning and sanitizing can keep infestations at bay. Additionally, store food in airtight containers and seal any cracks in your home.
Some other ways to prevent ants is to eliminate any standing water in and around your home. Store any firewood away from the walls and foundation of your home, and don’t keep unused firewood inside overnight.
Termites
Termites are another fall pest that can get into the walls of your home and cause real, expensive structural damage.
The guidance for preventing termite infestations is very similar to the guidance to prevent carpenter ants.
Stink Bugs and Other Nuisances
Unlike the fall pests mentioned above, some autumn infestations are merely inconvenient.
Stink bugs fall under this category. Other fall pests that might show up in your home include ladybugs, silverfish, and centipedes.
Stink bugs don’t just release an unpleasant smell when they’re scared. They can also damage fabric such as clothing and upholstery.
Prevent these pests: inspect clothing and personal items when you arrive home to make sure you don’t have any stowaways.
Environmental Pest Management for Ecologically Responsible Fall Pest Prevention
Rodents and bugs want to come stay with you this fall and winter. You see there are a lot of practical, everyday things you can do to prevent fall pests. Steps include regular home inspections for cracks in the walls and foundations, and keeping clean kitchens, bathrooms, and floors.
Don’t limit these checks to your house. Keep in mind that many fall pests like to hide in clothes and personal belongings to come home with you!
On the other hand, sometimes there is only so much you can do. Fall pest infestations happen to even the most dedicated home organizers. When that happens, you need to bring in the professionals.
Don’t take on the intruders of fall all by yourself. The experienced professionals at Environmental Pest Management can help you.
We have been in Minnesota for over thirty years, and are affiliated with the National and Minnesota Pest Management Associations. Our Master Licenced Technicians bring years of training and experience to their work.
Contact Environmental Pest Management and prevent fall pests in your home this year.