If you’ve been looking into how to keep pests out of your home, you have probably come across the term “occasional invaders.” But what are they?
The term occasional invaders is actually just a way of describing a type of insect or arthropod that invades your home during times of the year where the outside environment becomes too hostile to live in—and your home is definitely more accommodating.
Fall here in New York is one of those times. Snow is a definite as we grow ever closer to winter, and the pests know that just as well as we do. Now that fall is upon us, several insects are on the lookout for a safe place to avoid the winter chill, and cluster flies, lady bugs, stink bugs, and boxelder bugs are just a few of those occasional invaders.
Cluster flies are slightly larger and slower than their house fly counterpart and don’t feed on garbage or human food. Instead, they invade your home towards the beginning of fall to hibernate in clusters of a few dozen up to a few thousand, depending on the size of the wall cavity or attic they choose to cluster in. If they migrate into your home in large numbers, it can begin to create some nuisances when you see them start flying around and trying to escape once spring arrives. In addition, many cluster flies will die when they cannot find a way to escape, which may lead to rodent infestations in the coming months.
Boxelder bugs, stink bugs, and lady bugs are another group of insects that invade homes during the fall season. Like cluster flies, each of these insects will find a small, dark place to huddle in and hibernate. Often the areas they choose to cluster in include attics, wall spaces, ceiling corners, and sometimes window sills. They are roused from their hibernation anytime a warm sunny day appears during the cold months, which becomes a nuisance when they’re crowded around your windows and any source of light they can find. Boxelder bugs specifically become a problem because they are attracted to heat, and often the warmest thing in your home is your A/C unit. If a large enough amount of them cluster to that spot, it can cause your A/C unit to overwork itself until it overheats. Additionally, lady bugs, stink bugs and boxelder bugs all produce a liquid when threatened or crushed that can stain your walls and furniture, while also creating a foul smell in your home.
Common ways all of these occasional invaders get into your home is through windows, doors, and crevices that are left unsealed. Any torn window screens or overlooked utility entrances are an easy access point for several pests. By fixing foundation crevices, installing door sweeps, sealing utility entrances, and replacing all torn window screens, you can greatly reduce the probability that insects and other pests will enter your home. However, if you find yourself with any of these pests already in your home, the most effective thing you can do is contact the professionals from Thomas Pest Services. When occasional invaders start getting too hard to handle, you can be sure we’ll take care of those invaders for you. Our residential pest control services are designed to target and control all common household pests. What’s bugging you? Let us know by contacting us online today to receive your free estimate.