This is Amy Timmerman with this week’s Extension update.
September is here and thus fall is here!
Most pests reach their maximum population levels around August or September,
and their favorite places to escape the heat of the summer sun
or the oncoming winter cold are our homes.
Keeping fall pests out can be a challenge, but being prepared and properly treating
infestations can make fall a much more pleasant time for homeowners.
The first type of invaders come in on the ground and include crickets, cockroaches,
centipedes, millipedes, ground beetles, spiders and ants.
These pests are attracted to the leaf litter and debris found around the
foundation of houses, as well as the shade offered by surrounding landscape vegetation.
From the foundation, these ground invaders will then
wiggle their way into homes through any crack or crevice they can find.
The second type of fall invaders enter homes from the air and include:
multi-colored Asian lady beetles, house flies, cluster flies, yellow jackets, fruit flies,
boxelder bugs, miller moths and mosquitoes.
Many of these pests are also highly attracted to outdoor lights, such as
porch lights, and enter homes when nearby doors are open.
The exception is Fruit flies, that may enter homes as eggs already laid
in fresh produce, or they are attracted to fruits and vegetables sitting inside.
Fruit flies are small enough and can fit through window screens.
Thus it is important to keep all produce in secure containers inside refrigerators
and dumping compost buckets daily will help prevent homes from becoming
attractive destinations for fruit flies.
The good news is most of these invaders are simply seasonal nuisances.
They pose little threat to human health or damage to the home.
There are several things you can do to prevent these pests from invading your home.
1. Secure points of entry, especially under exterior doors and windows.
Caulk and seal around utility entrances, cracks in the foundation
and gaps around fascia boards.
Install screens over pipes and closeable chimney caps.
Install weather stripping under and around doors and windows.
Repair or replace damaged screens.
Replace rubber seals along bottom of garage doors.
Keep doors closed when not in use.
2. Change lighting around the exterior to reduce attractiveness to pests.
Switch bright incandescent bulbs for yellow ones.
Turn lights off at night, otherwise put on a timer or install a motion sensor.
3. Keep exterior of structure free of debris, leaf litter, piles of organic
matter, firewood, excessive vegetation and clutter to minimize outdoor hiding places.
4. Reduce moisture around buildings by practicing sanitation techniques.
Fix leaks, remove debris from gutters, adjust rainwater runoff, change the
grade, minimize condensation, increase ventilation in crawlspaces or basements,
minimize dark damp corners and eliminate possible indoor retreats.
And finally. Insecticide application in the form of an outdoor perimeter
treatment may be warranted for major infestations of accidental invaders.
Foundation sprays to keep ground invaders out should be sprayed
3 to 4 feet up the house walls and 3 to 5 feet out from the house.
Make sure to read the directions and follow the labels.
There are some commercial baits formulated for crickets.
In the case of overwintering pests, such as boxelder bugs and cluster flies,
a residual treatment to the exterior may be performed by a professional pest
management company to keep them from entering in the fall, but timing is the key.
If you know you have overwintering populations in wall voids or an attic,
do not attempt to treat and kill them while they are hibernating.
Dead bodies will attract secondary pests such as carpet beetles.
If you do find yourself with one too many uninvited house guests in your home,
the simplest way to rid yourself of them is to vacuum them up any that you see,
discard the vacuum bag contents and follow any preventative steps that we went through.
For more serious problems, indoor-use aerosol sprays are available.
If the infestation is severe, it is always best to hire a professional pest control operator.
However, there is no need to call pest control at the sight of a single cricket or centipede.
Any questions regarding the creepy crawlies in your home
please contact the extension office and we will help in identification.
This has been Amy Timmerman with Nebraska Extension.