If your blood stayed the same temperature as your surroundings, where would you like to hang out? Probably where the weather was not too warm, and not too cold. You would hang out outside during warm months, and seek the shelter of a heated place when it got too cold. This is exactly why boxelder bugs invade our homes when the temperature drops. These cold-blooded creatures freeze when it is freezing outside. So, can you blame them for invading your home in fall?

If boxelder bugs found a way into your home last fall, they will soon start to head back outside, or quite possibly, emerge into your living spaces, as temperatures rise. After all, they have been "overwintering" for several months, and it is understandable that they would want to get out and stretch their little legs a little. But, not only do they stretch their legs, they also start to breed. A lot. And this can be a problem.

What could you have done to keep boxelder bugs from getting into your home last fall?

• You could have inspected the outside of your home for gaps or cracks and sealed any holes you found. A caulking gun is a good way to get the job done. It is important to focus on all areas where objects enter through your foundation or walls, objects such as pipes, wires, dryer vents, air conditioning units, etc.

• You could have repaired or replaced any broken screens or door sweeps and installed a rubber seal along the bottom of garage doors.

• You could have repaired or replaced damaged screens in roof and soffit vents, and over bathroom and kitchen fans.

• If your home is made of stucco, plaster, stone, or brick veneer you could have checked for gaps and cracks where different materials meet, such as brick and wood siding. And, you could have sealed those cracks with caulk. For stone or brick veneer, the bottoms of walls have weep holes and these must not be sealed up. You can find ventilation plugs at hardware stores that can be installed in these weep holes.

What can you do to get rid of these bugs now that they have gotten in?

If you are seeing boxelder bugs inside your Albany home, there are some do-it-yourself tactics you can try to get rid of them, but the most effective, and cost-effective solution is to look into professional pest control. Here at Thomas Pest Services, we offer comprehensive pest control solutions that are backed by three generations of experience! It doesn't matter to us if your pests are cold-blooded, like boxelder bugs, or warm-blooded, like rodents and other wildlife, we can take care of any pest problem that is plaguing your home this spring. We can also get you prepared for next fall, when these and other overwintering pests will try to get into your home again. You might not blame them for invading your home, but that doesn't mean you have to let it happen.