Fall Pests To Watch Out For In Richmond, VA

We're about to head into fall again. You know what that means: Many of the creatures that live in your yard and crawl around outside your home will start trying to get in. We'll highlight a few of these pests today, share a few essential facts, and offer suggestions to keep them out. If you’re already seeing insects or rodents inside your home and live in Richmond or elsewhere in our service area, contact our local pest control team for assistance!

What attracts insects and rodents to properties?

Insects and rodents are always looking for three things. Can you guess what they are? If you said, "Food, water, and shelter," you're right. These are the staples of life. They attract pests to your property and lure them into your home.

Food: Pests eat many things, some of which might surprise you. Here are a few examples of the things they eat:

• Nectar
• Honeydew
• Decaying organic matter in trash or compost
• Insects
• Aphids in landscaping
• Dog and cat food
• Bird seed
• Nuts
• Cardboard and paper
• Animal droppings
• Human food
• Toothpaste
• Soap scum

Pests' food options are nearly endless. While you can reduce potential food sources for pests, you can't get rid of all the food entirely. That is why exterior pest control treatments are so helpful.

Water: Almost all pests need water to drink; some need water for reproduction. Here are a few examples of how pests find the moisture they need when they enter your yard:

• Water on the soil in a plant pot
• Moisture and humidity in landscape vegetation or tall grass
• Clogged gutters
• Water puddling around the foundation
• Droplets of water on pipes or hoses
• Stagnant water in buckets
• Rainwater collecting on a tarp
• Leaky spigots
• Plumbing issues inside
• Damp crawl spaces

You can't eliminate all the water sources in your yard, but certain alterations can reduce moisture and humidity and remove potential water sources. Small changes can go a long way toward lowering pest activity.

Harborage: Pests hide in many places. Outside, they'll slide underneath the bark on trees, hide inside ground holes, and tuck themselves into log and tree cavities. They'll do this in your yard but also find other places to hide. Here are some examples:

• Underneath siding
• In the cracks of bricks and concrete
• Within structural cavities
• Inside holes that develop in decaying wood
• Within window and door frames
• Underneath leaf litter and plant clippings

The more pests you have near your home's exterior, the more likely they are to pester you inside, particularly in the fall. Let's look at why this is the case.

How fall influence pest activity 

When temperatures start to cool, all of nature prepares itself for winter. Even a mild winter in Richmond is enough to cause plants to grow dormant. Since many insects eat plants, these insects go into a state called diapause, which is much like hibernation. In the fall, insects prepare for this by hoarding food or finding new locations for winter harborage.

Pests to watch out for this fall

• Cockroaches
  Cockroaches are among the worst pests to share your home with. They visit sewers, trash, and other unsavory locations, so it is unpleasant to find them near the food in your kitchen or in your bathroom near your toothbrush. If cockroaches can get in during the fall, they will stay permanently.
• Spiders
  When roaches and other insects enter your home in search of food, spiders will follow. Some spiders create annoying webs. Others don't make webs to catch prey but are annoying (and startling) when they appear on floors or walls.
• Boxelder bugs
  Common fall pests, these black and orange, almond-shaped insects congregate on the sunny sides of homes. Unfortunately, they don’t always stay on the outside; they'll likely slip inside if there’s a way in. The good news is that these boxelder bugs don’t reproduce indoors; the bad news is that they will remain in the house until the weather warms back up.
• Rodents
  Bugs aren't the only critters that get inside homes in the fall. Mice and rats commonly do as well, and if there’s plenty to eat and warm places to shelter, they will stick around to avoid the cold. Evidence of a rodent infestation includes noises inside walls, droppings in the pantry, and chew marks on cardboard boxes and other household items.

Is there a way to keep these annoying fall pests out? Yes. Let's talk about fall pest prevention.

How to keep fall pests out of your home

If you haven’t already, now is the time to seal your home so insects and rodents don’t find a way in this fall. Pay close attention to utility entrances, gaps under doors, cracks in the foundation, and openings in siding and around the roof. Any crack, gap, or hole is a potential entry point, so look thoroughly.

Pick up fallen fruit and other food sources in the yard. Indoors, store food in airtight containers, take out the trash regularly, wash the dishes after every meal, and wipe up crumbs and spills as soon as they occur. Be sure to keep the lid on your outdoor trash receptacle and wash away food debris after the garbage is hauled away. 

Fix plumbing issues and address other areas where water accumulates. We also recommend checking your crawl space to make sure it’s dry. A damp crawl space not only grows mold and mildew but also encourages pest activity. Here at Evergreen, we offer moisture control services that include the installation of a vapor barrier.