As September begins, the weather gradually turns cooler, and there is a hint of fall in the air. For our friends and valued customers in Raytown, Missouri, as well as the larger Kansas City area, fall means a new crop of household pests that must be prevented and dealt with. Here are five pests to keep your eyes open for as the seasons change:
Rodents
During the summer, most rodents are perfectly happy to live outdoors because there is plenty of food and shelter. As winter approaches, however, mice, rats, and squirrels begin to seek a warmer place to ride out the winter months. Unfortunately, this often turns out to be inside of someone’s home. Mice are particularly adept at squeezing through small spaces, potentially even as small as a nickel. Squirrels typically enter the home through the roof or soffits. To prevent rodents from entering, walk around your home and seal any cracks, gaps, or holes you may find.
Stink Bugs
Brown marmorated stink bugs are native to Asia and were introduced into the United States in 1998. In the following years, the population has exploded, and they are now a major agricultural pest. They spend the summers eating fruit and vegetable crops, and then seek a warm area to overwinter. Once inside a home, stink bugs will live in the walls and leave an invisible chemical trail that alerts other stink bugs that there is shelter in the area. Stink bugs emit a strong odor if they are frightened that smells similar to coriander. Stink bugs are very difficult to get rid of once they have infested the walls, so if you notice a large stink bug population in your area, consider getting professional help quickly to keep them out of your home.
Flies
Although you have probably noticed flies buzzing around your picnics all summer long, fall is actually the time that flies are at their peak. The population has been increasing all summer long, and now they are searching for every drop of warmth they can find. You will often find flies clustered together on the outside walls of your home. They are especially common on south and west facing walls as these will provide the most heat. House flies and fruit flies are particularly annoying to homeowners during this season.
Box Elder Bugs
You may have seen the distinctive brown-black bug with the bright red wings. These box elder bugs typically live in box elder, ash, maple, or oak trees. While they are not dangerous, they congregate in huge groups and can be a major nuisance pest. Groups of box elder bugs can often be seen sunning themselves on rocks, trees, or other man-made shelters. If box elder bugs get into your home, their grouping tendencies can quickly create an infestation.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are active throughout the year, but often seek shelter indoors during the fall. German cockroaches like very warm temperatures, and American cockroaches prefer a temperature of around 70 degrees, so your home is the perfect place for these species to spend the winter. Cockroaches can carry several diseases and are also known to cause asthma symptoms, particularly in some children who may be susceptible to allergies. To avoid cockroach infestations, try to keep your home clean and crumb free. It is also important to eliminate moisture caused from leaky faucets or pipes.
As new types of pests are starting to become active just in time for fall, prevention becomes very important. If you start seeing these pests around your home, give us a call and we can perform an inspection and help you start the season on the right foot. Good control and prevention during the fall months will hopefully help keep those annoying pests out of your home all winter long. If you need the pest control Raytown offers, Six Brothers Pest Control is here to help!
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
