Every fall, like clockwork, the leaves turn brilliant fall colors, nights have that crisp chill, and you can see your breath, white and chalky in the cold air.
And while you might think most insects die off in the Boston winter cold, it's not true. This is exactly when pests start looking for the perfect winter hideaway (i.e. your house).
In pest control, this is called overwintering. And it refers to the way insects and rodents find a protected, tucked away place to survive the colder months. Because they would struggle in the cold, the pests instead move into your wall voids, attics, crawl spaces, garages, and other sheltered places to wait out winter.
Many go inactive once inside, but that doesn’t mean they’re not there. As soon as spring hits, they'll start to move around in large numbers. And this is exactly why winter pest prevention is important. It stops the overwintering process before it even starts.
Common Fall Invaders in Boston Metro South, MA
Not all pests are seeking to nest, damage your home, or eat your food. In fact, most overwintering pests are only looking for a place to crash for the winter. They're looking for warm, small crevices to rest in.
Here are the most common overwintering pests in Boston Metro South:
- Stink bugs: these brown, shield-shaped insects gather on warm exterior surfaces in large numbers before squeezing through gaps around siding, windows, and utility openings. Once inside, they shelter in wall voids and attic spaces until spring.
- Asian lady beetles: these cluster on south and west-facing walls to gather warmth on fall days before finding ways to enter your home. They gather together in large numbers inside attics and upper wall voids.
- Boxelder bugs: these critters love box elder, maple, and ash trees, which are common throughout the Boston Metro South area. In fall, they migrate from these trees to your home's warm exterior and then find a place to enter.
- Cluster flies: these overwinter in attics and wall voids. They tend to come out on warm winter days, leaving you wondering how they got there.
- Western conifer seed bugs: these are a possible fall invader in areas with pine and other conifer trees. They're large, slow-moving bugs that squeeze through gaps around doors and windows to find shelter.
- Mice and rats: while they are not insects, these pests are the most destructive out of all overwintering pests. They enter your home looking for shelter, water, and food resources to sustain them for the winter. And when they get comfy, it's almost impossible to remove them without professional help.
How Do Pests Get Inside for the Winter?
Your home might have more gaps and crevices than you realize. And when pests find them, they use them.
Here are the most common entry points:
- Cracks around siding and trim
- Gaps at door and window frames
- Deteriorating weatherstripping
- Soffits pulling away from the roofline
- Unscreened vents
- Utility penetrations
- Gaps around garage doors
Here are a few tasks you can do:
- Replace damaged screens and weatherstripping
- Caulk visible gaps around windows, doors, and utility lines
- Inspect your roofline and soffits before temperatures drop
The goal here is closing as many access points as possible before winter sets in. Boston winters arrive quickly, and once temperatures drop, fall invaders are already on the move.
How Does the Fall Invader Home Shield Treatment Work?
Sealing gaps helps keep pests out, but combining that with the Fall Invader Home Shield Treatment ensures your home stays yours this year.
With Mosquito Squad of Boston Metro South, our Fall Invader Home Shield Treatment is a one-time service that creates a barrier around the exterior of your home that helps protect against fall invaders. Our trained technicians apply our EPA-registered products to your foundation, exterior walls, eaves, and other high-risk entry zones where pests invade.
Time your treatment correctly. Once overwintering insects snuggle up inside your wall voids and attic, exterior treatments won't work. Schedule your Fall Invader Home Shield Treatment during the fall months, before the winter chill sets in. This way, those overwintering insects are a lot less likely to go inside at all.
Mice and Rats Need a Different Kind of Exclusion
A mouse can squeeze through a dime-sized hole. A dime.
A hole that will go unnoticed if you're not looking. And once mice and rats are active indoors, rummaging around for food and shelter, it's truly difficult to get rid of them without professional help.
Rodent control for overwintering situations requires more than barrier spray, because rodents need a different kind of exclusion. That's why our trained technicians walk your property to find all the areas where rodents enter and properly seal them off.
Also, here are a few ways you can make your home less attractive to rodents:
- Reduce outdoor food sources around your foundation
- Store firewood away from your home
- Keep vegetation trimmed back
However, if you already see droppings, gnaw marks, or hear scratching in your walls and ceilings, it's time to schedule professional rodent control.
Schedule Winter Pest Prevention Before Fall Invaders Move In
Once overwintering pests are deep inside wall voids and attic spaces, it’s far harder to get them out.
So, schedule your Fall Invader Home Shield Treatment this fall before the winter chill.
Mosquito Squad of Boston Metro South serves the area with winter pest prevention treatments designed to stop overwintering pests at the exterior before they become an indoor problem. And, if you aren't 100% satisfied, we always stand by our satisfaction guarantee and make it right.
Ready to stop those pesky fall invaders before they settle into your home this winter? Call Mosquito Squad of Boston Metro South at (781) 471-5793 or request a free quote online.
