Autumn Bugs Trick-or-Treat in Homes
(Photo by Jan Anderson) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The autumn months bring cooler weather, pumpkins, and changing leaf colors. Unfortunately, these months also bring insects that crawl into homes and buildings to escape the change in outside weather conditions. Stink bugs are just one of the many pests making their way into homes throughout the southern United States this fall. As a result, home owners may be setting out more than just pumpkins on their front porches this year; many may also be planting bombs and traps to keep insects out for good.
Insects Fall-ing into Your Home
According to a curator at the Georgia Museum of Natural History, homes across the southern United States may see more insects this autumn than ever before. Among the most persistent and highly-organized of these are East Asian stink bugs. Known for the strong odors they emit and their striking appearance, stink bugs are household pests that no one desires to handle. Not only do they leave a smell that lingers for weeks, but they also leave stains on carpets, curtains, and furniture. These autumn insects feed on food in homes, and also destroy crops and vegetation in gardens.
Insects often live indoors during the autumn and winter months in order to escape grueling weather conditions. Although Florida, Georgia, Texas, and other southern states don’t experience cold temperatures as extreme as those in the northern region on the country, southern insects will still notice temperature changes and immediately seek warmer areas in order to thrive. These areas, unfortunately, are homes, which have heat and plenty of stored food. Halloween and Christmas may be a particularly alluring time for many insects, where sugary treats are often in abundant supply. Luckily, you can easily rid your home of such indoor pests, no matter the seasons.
Ridding Your Home of Autumn Pests
You can keep your home free of autumn pests, from stink bugs to mice, in a variety of ways. Most insect and pest control specialists agree that preventative measures are the most effective. Discourage pests from making your house their home by making sure that every area of the house is secure. Close any openings in walls or ceilings, and make the house inhospitable to pests by reducing moisture and storing food properly. Such measures are all natural and effective ways of preventing more pests from entering your home during the autumn months.
If you already have insects or pests in your home, you can exterminate them through a variety of chemical methods. There are a number of household pesticides on the market today that can be used safely within the home, but it is always wise to seek the advice of a specialist to determine which pesticides to use and the appropriate dosages.
