Why Overwintering Pests Move Toward Charles City Homes

The cooler months in Charles City provide a much needed break from busy summer schedules, humid afternoons, and itchy mosquito bites. The fall colors and crisp afternoons create moments of rest and beauty, while also increasing the presence of indoor pest activity. Overwintering pests will use outdoor areas around leaf litter, firewood, or brush before seeking points of entry into homes to escape the winter freeze. This frustrating experience can lead to a need for residents to seek professional Charles City pest control services to reduce and control pest activity.

Common Fall Invaders to Watch For

While the presence of mosquitoes and warm weather pests decreases, the presence of overwintering pests begins to heighten. Common overwintering pests include stink bugs, boxelder bugs, lady beetles, spiders, and rodents. These pests will commonly move into Charles City homes in search of food and shelter during the colder months.

How Overwintering Pests Get Inside

Overwintering pests in Charles City will seek areas where small cracks, gaps, and crevices create easy points of entry. Insects such as boxelder bugs or stink bugs will commonly swarm the sunny sides of homes before seeking entry into the structure of the home. Common areas include gaps around utility lines, external pipes, areas where window screens have become damaged or torn, and areas where door sweeps have become worn down. External vents, soffits, and gaps around siding can also create overlooked opportunities for pests to gain entry to wall voids, attics, and basement areas.

What Homeowners Can Do Before the First Frost

There are a few simple steps to reduce pest activity around your Charles City home. 

• Conduct periodic home inspections to note areas where new entry points or pest attractants have become noticeable. 
• Trim away brush, tall grasses, and overgrown shrubs from the structure of the home to reduce the amount of pest pathways
• Regularly remove brush and leaf litter from outdoor living areas to reduce nesting activity.
• Reduce clutter within areas such as outdoor sheds, garages, attics, and areas where pests can nest and hide unnoticed.
• Consider replacing outdoor lights with yellow bug lights to reduce flying insect activity during dusk and dawn.

What to Do If Pests Are Already Indoors

In order to address pests that have already made their way into your Charles City home, it’s important to reduce their ability to gain deeper entry into wall voids and crevices. Take note of common points of entry where these pests enter your home. This can include areas around windows, doorways, external hood vents, and even HVAC vents. Promptly vacuum nuisance insects such as boxelder bugs, stink bugs, lady beetles, and other common overwintering insects. Once vacuumed, promptly dispose of them outdoors to reduce their ability to escape back into your home. Avoid crushing stink bugs or Asian beetles as this can lead to an unpleasant smell and occasional staining. Likewise, vacuum and dispose of spider eggs to reduce a sudden infestation due to hatching. 

Professional Fall Pest Control in Charles City

If you’re noticing heightened pest activity despite taking preventative measures, it can be beneficial to seek professional support. Our team at Mosquito Squad of Williamsburg is committed to providing comprehensive pest control services to Charles City residents. Each plan begins with a property inspection to learn the layout, seek areas of risk, and create a tailored plan to help reduce and control pests at your home.

Call (757) 280-3624 or request a free quote online.