BLOG / MUST HAVE TIPS TO KEEP OVERWINTERING PESTS OUT
In the Spring, we worry when we see pests emerging from their hiding place within homes, 
cottages and businesses.
In the Summer, we try to forget about them, but deal with them when they interrupt our fun in the sunshine or impact business.
When September approaches, many assume that bugs and insects cannot handle the cooler temperatures and will die off in the coming weeks and months. But that is not always the case.
While we may see less of them as days and nights continue to cool off, this does not mean that that they have all met their demise. In fact, Fall is the time of year where overwintering pests, like cluster flies, Asian lady beetles, boxelder bugs, pine seed bugs, wasps and hornets, and mice, find their way into homes, garages, sheds, barns and businesses, to hibernate until the Spring. In some cases, a large population of species will invade, like cluster flies and Asian lady beetles. For others, like wasps and hornets, only fertilized females (set to the be new future queens) overwinter solo.
Many homeowners, cottage owners, and businesses have an annual Spring treatment, which helps them deal with the previous year’s overwintering pests, which have emerged the following spring. While this is effective in dealing with those nuisance pests, it does not help you minimize the return of the new generations of overwintering pests who may find their way into your home again come Fall.
This is what makes Fall an ideal time for treating your home or business. Large volumes of nuisance overwintering pests are starting to seek out dry, warm, protective coverage to hibernate. These places may be your home, garage, cottage, barn or place of business. If they could find a way in before, there is a strong chance they will invade again, and make themselves right at home.
A good fall treatment includes spraying the exterior of the building or structure, heavily focusing on eves, soffits, doors and windows, with quality professional products containing an enduring and strong residual. This is crucial in helping to treat a pest issue like overwintering pests. A strong residual means that the application will not wash or fade away quickly. After the service has been completed, the product continues to work to help eliminate pests that come into contact with it. Any pests that do come into contract with it will die within days. DIY pest control and ‘over the counter’ pest control products do not have the strong residuals, and therefore are ineffective in helping you eliminate pests, or pest proof.
So, when is a good time to get started on making sure you prevent overwintering pests from taking up residence in your home or business? Now.
Did you know that cluster flies are starting to overwinter now? Many will find points of entry in homes and buildings and can been seen coming and going throughout the day and night depending on the temperature. While not in huge masses yet, they are starting to congregate on sunny sides of buildings to soak up the warm sunshine.
Next to follow will be the boxelder bug, and pine seed bugs, which will also be looking for a nice warm and dry place to call home for the winter.
Once the final crops have been harvested in late September, and fields disappear for the season, Asian lady beetles will have had their fill of aphids and be ready to settle in for winter. They will start to congregate in huge masses and take cover.
Fall is also a great time for rodent treatment, as mice are driven from fields during harvesting, and from other preferred natural environments if they cannot find ideal coverage and a sufficient food supply for winter. While mice can be an issue, and nuisance any time of the year, Fall is a key time when they are more likely to invade homes and buildings.
In addition to obtaining professional pest control help, there are many things that you can do to help protect your home or business from these overwintering pests. The most impactful thing you can do is help prevent them from getting in.
Check out the helpful pest proofing tips in our pest library:
This year, we encourage you to take preventative measures through pest proofing and considering a Fall treatment. This combination will help keep pests out of your homes, cottages and businesses, and prevent any surprise pest activity on those warm, Spring-like Winter days.
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