No one enjoys having pests infesting their home, but it’s even worse when you’re expecting holiday company. I remember one year I came home to visit my family late in the year and swarms of ants were crawling around the garden paving slabs.
I was shocked to still see so many insects around, considering the temperatures were due to cool. But there are still lots of autumn pests that are active as the winter creeps in, and it’s important to keep an eye on whether they’re finding their winter resting place around or inside of your property. Pest control is a continuous battle, but it is worth it.
According to Jason Cohn at Arrow Termite and Pest Control, there’s actually more late autumn to winter pests estimated to be active this year than in previous ones. “It’s an interesting time for pest control. As we’re seeing higher than normal temperatures in many parts of the US for this time of year, summer pests are lingering longer at the same time as fall pests emerging. Pest World’s “Bug Barometer” has some specific predictions on pests found in different states, but in general it’s more important than ever to keep an eye on what’s getting into your home from the garden.”
To help ease your mind, I talked to an assortment of experts in pest control to identify the top pests to look out for at this time of year, as well as to learn ways to keep pests at bay. They’re quite simple to implement but will make a world of difference.
1. Mice
Mice are the number one pest to watch out for as late autumn rolls into winter. You know your prized pantry well-stocked with baking supplies, half-eaten tins of cookies and the occasional open bag of flour? This will be heaven on Earth to a mouse looking for somewhere warm filled with food.
Jason Burkhart, managing director at Critter Control, a nationwide wildlife removal company with a focus on humane critter prevention and removal, explained to me why so many mice are active towards the end of the year.
“The late autumn is actually a pretty active time of year for many critters, contrary to what many people might think, since they're mostly associated with the spring and summer months,” said Jason. “But, even though many critters do not actually hibernate during winter, most of them are still looking for a warm, safe place with reliable food sources to live during the looming cold months.
“Mice, for instance, are actively foraging and mating year-round: the autumn and winter months don’t stop or slow them down. Your home is a great place for them to build a nest for their litters in late autumn, so it’s important to check areas where food drops such as the back of your pantry for any potential entry points. After all, the best form of critter removal is preventing them from arriving in the first place.”
If you spot a hole in your home where mice could get in, the quickest fix is to stuff it with some steel wool like this Steel Wool for Mice Control from Amazon. It’s flexible, strong, and can be cut to the size needed to fill up the holes. Combine steel wool with other products that will repel mice and rats and you'll have a great chance at stopping them from invading.
You can also set up some humane mouse traps like these Mouse Traps for Catch and Release available at Walmart around your home and near to the mice’s nest outdoors if you know where it is.
Ensuring your home’s floors are free from crumbs is another great preventative measure, too, as most late autumn to early winter pests are primarily searching for two things: somewhere warm and a food source.
2. Raccoons
If you live in an area surrounded by raccoons, it’s important to check they aren’t able to find access into your home. The scary thing is they may already be there and you just don’t know it, as they tend to choose quieter, dark areas where they won’t be disturbed such as attics, basements, or crawl spaces as a form of shelter from the cooling temperatures.
“Racoons love foraging trash cans and areas around homes for scraps of food, so the number one preventative measure I recommend to keep raccoons out of your home is ensuring your trash cans have their lids on securely and that they’re regularly emptied,” says Jason. “If they approach your house and are able to get some food scraps from your outdoor trash, they may be tempted to find a way inside to see what else you've got to offer.”
If you’re concerned raccoons are already in your home, the best course of action is to ask a pest control expert to conduct an inspection of your home. They’re very difficult to remove once in your house.
But if you’re hoping to send some running back out of the gap in your home that they initially got through (before blocking them up, of course!), investing in a good ultrasonic repeller like this Ultrasonic Plug In Pest Repeller from Amazon for indoor use could do the trick. It features a number of settings designed to send critters running such as LED lights, as well as a motion sensor to detect when pests are near.
You can also use a critter camera like the Ferret Plus Wireless Inspection Camera from Amazon to look inside of holes, pipes and hard-to-reach areas to check for raccoons yourself.
3. Spiders
Spiders – my least favorite pest of all. I find these guys to be absolutely terrifying, with their long legs and swift ability to run away before I can escort them out of my home. Nothing will ruin your relaxation or the upcoming holidays more than spiders, but fortunately there are ways to send them scuttling off.
Ed Dolshun, vice president of business development and technical director from Catchmaster taught me why so many spiders seem to appear in the autumn-winter transition. “Like many pests, spiders are just looking for somewhere warm to stay for winter, as well as somewhere to mate. If you see a spider actively moving around your home, it’s more than likely a male one out searching for a mate, unaware that it’s unlikely to find one in your house.”
Ed recommended using glue boards to catch spiders, as they’re small to sit around your home as well as easy to clean up. These Non-Toxic Glue Traps from Amazon are a good choice, and come in a pack of twelve. Though if you see any in your home and want to humanely snatch them up, this Vacuum Bug Catcher available at Walmart will help you safely escort them back outdoors.
4. Cluster Flies
Cluster flies are a common problem pest faced by those surrounded by lots of trees. If they’re making their way into your home, though they don’t bite, you’re going to be left far from happy.
“Cluster flies hibernate in large numbers, so if you spot any in your home, you more than likely have a lot yet to try to get in,” says Ed. “They’re so small they can get just about anywhere while seeking warmth, from in your attic to in your walls. Once settled they’ll stay dormant until the weather warms up again, but that won’t be the nicest of surprises come spring.”
If you spot a small hole in a wall where cluster flies could have gotten in, the easiest course of action is to spray in some insect killer and then plug up the exit point. The BioAdvanced Dual Action Rose and Flower Insect Killer from Amazon combined with a spray bottle extension tube like this Spray Tip Nozzle Extension from Amazon should do the trick. The tube will help the product to reach deeper into affected areas.
It’s very hard to humanely remove cluster flies since they’re incredibly small, hibernate in large quantities and they’re able to get into hard-to-reach areas, but you could try using a small insect vacuum if the area they’re concentrated in is easy enough to access.
Making sure you close your windows at night is another good call, as cluster flies will be attracted to the lights in your house or any shining on the porch.
5. Ants
Similarly to cluster flies, ants are hard to keep away from your home. They’re incredibly tiny, able to crawl in through the tiniest of gaps in your brickwork, so it can be frustrating to see seemingly endless amounts of them marching around.
“Ants are loving the higher-than-usual temperatures” says Jacob. “Their activity levels actually increase with the rising heat and dryer conditions, so they’ll be thriving.”
If you have an ant infestation that you can’t handle on your own, it’s best to seek the help of an exterminator but if you have any small gaps around your doorways, windows or brickwork, seal them up as soon as possible.
Caulk like the GE Supreme Paintable Silicone Sealant from Amazon is a strong adhesive option for sealing potential points of entry. Plus, doing this will help to draft-proof your house ahead of winter.
You could try leaving some glue boards on the floor with a small amount of sugar on to attract the ants if you’re dealing with small numbers after sealing off entry points. Though it’s hard to ever know just how many there are.
Don’t forget to frequently vacuum up crumbs off of your floors too to limit the amount of available food sources!
Hopefully, these tips will help you keep the pests out of your home this holiday season! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
