Fall Bug Control for Your Home

As temperatures drop, many insects and pests look for warm, sheltered places to spend the winter. Your home can become an attractive refuge unless you take preventive steps.

Use these fall bug control tips to keep pests outside where they belong.

1. Inspect your home’s exterior - Walk around your home and look for cracks, holes, and gaps around the foundation, siding, windows, doors, and utility lines. Even small openings can provide access for ants, spiders, stink bugs, rodents, and other pests.
2. Seal cracks and openings - Use caulk to seal gaps around windows, doors, pipes, and vents. Repair damaged screens and replace worn weatherstripping around exterior doors. Pay special attention to areas where different building materials meet.
3. Install or repair door sweeps - A worn door sweep can leave enough space for insects to crawl underneath. Install tight-fitting sweeps on exterior doors, including doors leading to garages, basements, and crawl spaces.
4. Keep firewood away from the house - Store firewood at least 20 feet away from your home and several inches off the ground. Firewood piles can harbor termites, ants, beetles, spiders, and other pests that may eventually move indoors.
5. Manage moisture around your property - Many pests are attracted to damp conditions. Clean clogged gutters, repair leaking pipes and outdoor faucets, and make sure water drains away from the foundation. Use a dehumidifier in damp basements or crawl spaces.
6. Inspect boxes and seasonal decorations - Before bringing fall decorations, firewood, storage bins, or boxes indoors, inspect them for insects, webs, egg cases, and droppings. Store seasonal items in sealed plastic containers whenever possible.
7. Keep your kitchen clean - Wipe counters, sweep floors, and regularly clean under appliances. Empty indoor trash frequently and use tightly sealed garbage cans to reduce odors that attract pests.
8. Reduce indoor lighting near entryways - Many flying insects are attracted to bright lights at night. Use yellow or warm-colored outdoor bulbs and turn off unnecessary lights near doors and windows.
9. Check attics, basements, and crawl spaces - These areas are common entry points and hiding places for fall pests. Look for droppings, damaged insulation, shed insect skins, nests, and unusual odors. Make sure vents are covered with secure screens.
10. Avoid unnecessary standing water - Empty birdbaths, buckets, plant saucers, and other containers that collect rainwater. Standing water can attract mosquitoes and other insects, even during cooler weather.
11. Use traps and treatments carefullySticky traps can help identify pest activity, while targeted treatments may be useful around entry points. Always follow product instructions and keep pesticides away from children and pets.
12. Schedule a professional inspection if needed - If you notice repeated pest activity, structural damage, nests, or signs of termites or rodents, contact a licensed pest control professional. Early treatment can prevent a small problem from becoming a major infestation.

Taking preventive action in the fall can help protect your home throughout the colder months. By sealing entry points, reducing moisture, maintaining your yard, and keeping indoor spaces clean, you can make your home far less appealing to unwanted pests.