Fall Pest Control: How to Keep Unwanted Critters Out

The beach chairs are back in storage, the kids are back in school, and fall is almost here. Can you believe it? Before we know it, it’ll be winter.

So let’s look at your to-do list at the colder weather moves in and we prepare for another 6 months of fall and winter:

• Eat ice cream before your favorite place closes for winter
• Spend every day outside in the sun until it’s too cold to do so
• Cook up the last of your BBQ foods while the weather still permits use of the grill
• Spend an evening looking at the stars without needing a snow coat

Wait, we’re off topic. Let’s look at that to-do list, but with a focus on eliminating any pest problems that may affect your property this fall.

Fall Pest Control To-Do List

• Examine the exterior perimeter of your house

• Clean out your garages and sheds

Scanning your shed for a pest problem is a lot easier when there isn’t any clutter, and when winter comes, it will likely be too cold for you to dig around your outdoor belongings trying to identify the problem. Get your garage and shed clutter-free and search the interior and exterior for places that may allow unwanted guests to get inside and find protection from bad weather. All pests are suspects; from the aforementioned mice, rats, squirrels and chipmunks, you should also be wary of raccons and possums, depending on where you live and what critters are threats to you and your home.

• Rake leaves frequently and stockpile firewood away from your house

Piles of leaves provide safe havens for bugs and critters, and can mask the emergence of serious problems. Big up leaves and other lawn messes in a timely fashion so that mice and squirrels don’t get comfortable in them. Wet and decaying wood can provide a terrific habitat for some  pests as well. Keep the pest hideouts away from the house, and be sure to tidy those spaces up before the truly cold weather shows up to stay.

• Lock out for mice, rats and other critters

Are you starting to feel cold some nights? So are the critters. Seal up any potential entry points. Look for cracks in your walls, floors and ceilings. Block holes in your baseboards, cabinets or other spots that may have been created already by pests. Apply weather stripping to your doors to provide further pest protection. When you’re looking around your house, don’t forget to check your basement and attic thoroughly.

• Consult professionals if the problem persits or worsens.

If you need professional help keeping pests out of your home, check out the Catseye Cat-Guard Exclusion System. Our trained team of pest control professionals will come install high-performance metal and perform other seal-up techniques to close entry points and keep animals from getting inside your living area this fall and winter, and in the future. It’s a tough defense system for your home, and no match for invasive pests who are looking to stay warm this winter.

What Can You Expect This Fall?

Like we said above, fall is the time when we see a tremendous amount of critter activity. Mice, rats, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks and more will all be looking for warm places to nest. And by the time fall and winter are over, you might have all these critters — and new baby critters — living in your house.

We’ll see an uptick in bat problems as well — bats flying around in living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, everywhere. And of course, we’re always on the lookout for spiders and bats. Pretty soon it will be Halloween, and we’ll want to make sure real spider webs and crawling pests aren’t helping you decorate.

Fall isn’t just all about the bothersome wildlife; insects can still cause problems too. As the weather gets cooler, cluster flies and box elder bugs will seek shelter to hibernate, and they do so by the hundreds. Attics and wall voids are the perfect place for them to stay cozy all winter. Even some species of Ladybugs will invade your home in large numbers to stay warm. If you see these insects gathering on the sunny side of your home this fall, it’s a sure sign they’re moving in.

Do you have questions? Need help protecting your house ahead of cold weather? Think you already have a pest control problem?

Contact our certified pest technicians anytime.