Cooler Weather Brings a New Batch of Crawling Invaders
Summer’s end brings many welcome changes for Midwestern property owners: the days are cooler, the mosquitoes nearly defeated, and many other insect pests are approaching the end of their crawl.
But don’t get too comfortable: for many other six and eight-legged crawlers, cooler temperatures mark the start of house-hunting season. It’s time to make sure you are not accidentally inviting them in.
Stink bugs and spiders are among the species that will be scouting for warmer winter habitats soon. Here’s what you need to know about two of this season’s most unpopular houseguests.
Stink Bugs in Winter Make Terrible Tenants
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug made its first public appearance in the U.S. in 1998 in Pennsylvania, but rapidly spread out to colonize virtually all of the continental U.S., including Indiana, where bugs stay cozy in the winter by squeezing through cracks and crevices and making themselves at home in your residential or commercial buildings. Stink bugs don’t bite or sting but still make terrible roommates, releasing a pheromone that draws other stink bugs, until soon, you are co-habitating with lots of stink bugs. Stink bugs, as their name suggests, can smell terrible – giving off a rotten odor when they are disturbed. They also can feed on crops, including corn seedlings.
Spiders, on the other hand, are mostly odorless and have the beneficial habit of eating lots of other insects. Of the approximately 400 species found in Indiana, only two are dangerously venomous, the brown recluse and the black widow. Even so, most property owners prefer that their spiders remain outside. Unfortunately, many spiders, like stink bugs, are also drawn to indoor locations when the temperatures drop. Frequent sightings or accumulating webs are a sign that you may have a problem. The best time to take steps to prevent insect intrusion is before you see signs of a problem. By the time you see hundreds, you are dealing with an infestation that will require more intensive treatment, with higher concentrations of pesticides and thorough crack and crevice treatments. Infestations may also require a period of monthly treatments to bring them under control.
Get Started with a Professional Assessment to Prevent Infestations
To prevent fall and winter insect or spider infestations, begin with a professional assessment of your property to identify access points and signs of insect activity. Assessment by professional pest control and extermination services can help identify specific species for a tailored approach to eradication and prevention.
At Rusty’s Animal Control, we have decades of experience helping residential and commercial property managers minimize insect and spider populations with customized solutions, state-of-the-art tools like infrared cameras, and a wide range of effective exclusion devices. Unlike other pest control services that essentially spray and walk away, our approach relies on thorough assessment, customized solutions and diligent follow-up.
To learn more about why we are trusted by property managers across central Indiana and beyond, contact a member of our team.
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