Fall Invader Identification & Prevention

The term "fall invader" simply refers to pests that are more likely to attempt to invade your home during the fall. There are a variety of pests that prepare for winter here in middle Tennessee by getting into our sheltered and climate-controlled spaces.

Common fall invaders include:

• Ladybugs 

• Stink bugs

• Boxelder bugs

• Spiders

• Wasps

Note that you may not always see certain fall invaders during the fall. They may infest your home in autumn and lay dormant over the winter until emerging in the spring. If this happens, you may not know it until then. 

s become much more active and aggressive in the fall as they prepare for cold winters without much food. Certain types of spiders may also be dangerous, and these are typically attracted to your home by other fall pests. 

For example, if you have a stink bug invasion during the fall, it might attract harmless spiders like wolf spiders, and it can also draw in more dangerous brown recluses, which are attracted to these easy-to-hunt crawling prey pests as well. 

Often, you wind up with fall pests because they are looking for a place to shelter through the winter. Many pests can communicate with each other about suitable places. For instance, a stink bug might decide your western-facing wall is a nice place to warm up in the sun, and before you know it, you could have thousands of them crawling all over your house because that stink bug sent out pheromone signals to all the others in the area telling them it found a suitable spot.

Where you find fall invaders depends on the species. If you wind up with a ladybug, stink bug, or boxelder bug infestation, you will be seeing these pests crawling all over your house. They make no attempts to hide from you, and there are often so many of them creeping around windows and upper corners of your home that they couldn't hide even if they wanted to.

If you have a wasp problem, you will mostly be finding them in places you would normally see wasps, such as eaves and overhangs around your house. Spiders, meanwhile, will be hanging out wherever their favorite prey does. 

Strategies for getting rid of fall invaders depend on the species you're dealing with. For instance, if you're seeing ladybugs all over the place, that infestation is going to require different techniques and products than spiders or wasps. This is why getting rid of fall invaders can be complicated.

The good news is here at Midstate Termite & Pest Control, we are equipped to handle all the different types of fall pests that invade homes in the Cookeville and Crossville area. Whether you have a house full of ladybugs or a yard full of wasps, we've got your back.

Unfortunately, preventing fall pests can be quite difficult because these pests are attracted to your home primarily for its shelter and warmth. You can't exactly turn off your heat all winter, so that means the best way to keep pests like ladybugs and stink bugs outside where they belong is to seal up your house to remove potential entry points. 

Inspect the exterior and use expanding foam or silicone caulk to seal any cracks or holes you find. Also, make sure your window screens are free of rips and tears. Install screens on doors if you can, and use weatherstripping to ensure there are no gaps between the door and the frame. 

Taking these measures can encourage fall pests to move on to places they can more easily invade. But if they find a way in anyway, Midstate Termite & Pest Control can help! Reach out today to get started and to learn more about our residential pest control and commercial pest control services in Cookeville.