Guests of Autumn

          This year the first day of fall lands on September 22^nd. That gives us just over a month of warm weather days before the leaves begin to turn and temperatures begin to fall. The intense insect pressure the summer brings is beginning to drop off but just because fall is almost upon us, that does not mean all of the insects will be leaving with the warmer temperatures.

            If you follow this blog with any sort of regularity, then you might have noticed I like to refer to the Pest Control Technology Magazine (PCT) quite frequently. While the magazine is directed towards the Pest Management Professional (PMP), I believe that there is quite a bit of useful information to be found that homeowners can use as well. For instance, in the August issue of PCT, there was a short article written by Hope Bowman entitled “Fall Invaders- Are You Ready?” The article discusses four key species of insect that typically try to enter homes in the fall in attempts of finding an area to winter. The first species is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. To you and me this is the most common species of stink bugs in North America. According to Bowman, “these pests have become an agricultural pest, causing damage especially to fruiting trees…” (Bowman, Pg. 62) The next insect species she discusses is the Boxelder Bug. This particular species is most abundant in the spring and summer typically taking up residence in plants around your homes; once autumn hits though, they begin to work their way indoors.

            Third on Bowman’s list was the ever popular Ladybug. This one everyone knows is most often found right around windows and on the window sills. Lastly, was the Cluster Fly; similar in appearance to the you average house fly, the Cluster fly’s large appearance and relatively slow flying habits are what sets it apart from the house fly. (Bowman, pg. 62)

            While identifying species is essential to good pest prevention around the house, it is equally if not more important to “pest proof” your home as well. What I really liked about this article is that after Bowman went into the species most likely to appear, she also gave some great information about how to “seal up a home” so that these occasional invaders are less likely to invade. The first thing she said is to “seal gaps around windows and doors, including garage doors.” (pg. 64) Any sort of space no matter how small, is a potential open door for these species. She went on to add it is equally important to “look for areas where pipes and electrical or cable lines enter the building.” (pg. 64) If there is any sort of gap, you will want to use expanding foam to seal up the area. To sum it up, I would recommend that before September 22^nd arrives, take some time to go around your home and inspect for areas that insects may try to enter. The more thorough you are now, the less likely you will have to deal with any of these four species coming in with you for the winter time.

Works Cited

Bowman, Hope. Fall Invaders-Are You Ready?. Pest Control Technology Magazine. 2013