Fall is a beautiful time of year for humans. The temperatures finally drop, bringing relief after a long, hot summer. The trees turn colors, and you can finally enjoy a pumpkin spice latte. However, pests and rodents don’t particularly like this season. When fall rolls around, they seek warmth and shelter, and there’s no better place to build a nest than inside your home. Here are some of the most common pests that may try to move in this autumn.
Ants
While you imagine ants crawling on trees or the lawn, they don’t like to live outside when it’s cold. In the fall, many ant colonies go in search of warmer spaces. With hundreds of ant species out there, there’s no way to avoid these insects entirely. But, you don’t want them getting inside your home.
Ants love to move into the kitchen, where there is plenty of food and water. Other ants, knowns as carpenter ants, build beds inside timber. You may find them in your doorways or window frames. Unfortunately, carpenter ants can do a lot of damage to the structure of your home. If you see ants scurrying around your house, it’s time to call an exterminator for assistance.
Stink Bugs
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how stink bugs got their name. These insects do indeed stink. While they don’t bite, these bugs secrete a smelly substance whenever they are startled or frightened. These insects may be interesting to look at from afar, but if you get too close, your nose may begin to tingle.
During the fall, stink bugs like to find a warm place to nest. They prefer to stay in hiding, so you may be surprised to see one inside your closet or hiding in your purse. Most people recommend sucking them up in a vacuum so that you can avoid their smelly liquid. And, of course, it doesn’t hurt to have an exterminator treat your home.
Cockroaches
During the summer, you’ll see countless cockroaches roaming the streets when the sun goes down. They like to live in warm, humid areas. But, when it starts to get colder outside, they look for a new place to live. You may find a few cockroaches running around your bathroom or kitchen. They hide during the day, but if you turn the lights on in the middle of the night, you may see a few roaches scurrying to hide.
Many people have a fear of cockroaches. While these insects don’t usually bite, they aren’t entirely innocent. Cockroaches are notorious for spreading different types of harmful bacteria. Furthermore, many people are allergic to them, and roaches are known for triggering asthma attacks. Make sure your home the proper insulation to keep cockroaches outside where they belong.
Rodents
When temperatures drop in the fall, many rodents leave their nests and search for warmer areas. That’s why rodent infestations are so prevalent during the colder months. Rats and mice are the two most common intruders in the fall. While they may look cute at the pet store, they can cause a lot of problems around your home.
Rodents enter any way they can. These pests can contort their bodies to fit in the smallest openings. Some only need a hole the size of a dime to get inside your home. Once inside, these critters will begin tearing apart your insulation, walls, and wiring to attempt to build a nest. If they damage your wires too much, they can even create a fire hazard!
Since rodents carry disease and can damage your property, you don’t want them living inside your house. If you hear, see, or smell critters in any room of your home, you need to take immediate action to get rid of them. Your Home Experts® offers rodent exclusion and removal services. Not only will we get rid of any animals currently inside your home, but we’ll also close off points of entry to prevent any newcomers. Get in touch with Your Home Experts® to rid your home of any rodents this fall.