Fall is a favorite time of year for many Americans. The cooler weather is a welcome break from summer’s heat, the foliage begins to change, and many of our favorite snacks become available once again. Pumpkin spice latte, anyone? The only problem with fall is that we’re not the only ones trying to keep warm before winter hits. Many common pests become more active in and around homes during the autumn months. So before you pick up your coffee or bite into that delicious hand-picked apple, take a moment to read through these pest prevention tips and make sure your home is ready for winter.
Most Common Fall Pests
Before anything, you should know which pests are the most common during the fall. Rodents such as squirrels, mice, and rats come looking to make nests in homes for the winter. Many other pests also come into houses in search of warmth. This includes flies, cockroaches, spiders, stink bugs, ants, earwigs, and centipedes. And insects such as wasps and yellow jackets become more aggressive during the fall months. They spend these months looking for food before they die off during the winter. During the fall, they are more likely to sting.
Indoor Fall Pest Prevention Tips
- Many pests are attracted to humidity, so keep your home dry, especially storage spaces such as basements, attics, and crawl spaces. If your house is especially humid you can use a dehumidifier to accomplish this.
- Pests are attracted to food. Limit their access by promptly cleaning any and all food messes. Even the smallest crumbs can invite rodents and insects into your kitchen. You’ll also want to keep all food stored in air-tight containers that can’t be broken into by hungry mice. Keep in mind that pet food can attract bugs and rodents and should be stored properly.
- Finally, pests want a safe space to hide. The more clutter you have in your home, the more areas you offer these pests. Keep storage spaces organized and contained and try to keep your house as clean as possible throughout the fall months.
Outdoor Fall Pest Prevention Tips
In order to keep pests from getting inside your home, keep them out of your yard and seal up your home. Here are some tips to make your home and yard less appealing to pests:
- Keep your yard clean and well-trimmed. Intentional landscaping, such as trimming shrubbery and cutting the grass, will give pests fewer hiding places around the yard.
- Cut back plants that are close to your home. Plants, especially flowers, attract insects such as stinging insects and may draw them closer to your house.
- Firewood can also attract insects. Keeping firewood stacks and other debris far from your exterior walls will help prevent a fall pest infestation.
- Make it difficult for pests to enter your home. Placing screens over openings like chimneys and vents will close off prime entry points.
- Make sure screens don’t have any holes or tears.
- Use caulking to seal any holes or cracks in the exterior of your home.
- Keep the exterior of your home in good shape to prevent pests. This means replacing weatherstripping and cleaning out your gutters.
Fall Pest Elimination
If you didn’t get these prevention tips in time and already have an infestation, call Innovative Pest Control today. We offer year-round pest control so that you can enjoy every season to the fullest.
Categories:
- Home Pest Control,
- Fall Pest Control
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