The following are a list of the 5 most common Fall pests in Colorado that pest control companies deal with the most:
- Mice
- Spiders
- Clover mites
- Silverfish
- Pill bugs
Let’s learn a little bit more about each pest, why they like entering your home during the Fall, and some common ways to prevent them from infesting your property.
1) Mice
Why You Don’t Want to Live with Mice
They may look cute, but mice are a threat to the health of you and your family. Mice chew and gnaw to gain access to small spaces and to build nests in hidden locations in your home. Mice chew almost anything they can get their little claws on. In addition to paper and fabric, mice will also chew through wires and drywall, which can quickly turn into a fire hazard. The equity in your home, as well as family memories and other valuables, can be destroyed in a matter of seconds.
How to Prevent Mice in Your Home
- Remove current rodents
- Seal up any openings to your home
- Eliminate any outdoor access
- Clean up junk piles in your yard
- Remove outdoor food sources
- Build a wall
- Practice cleanliness in and around your home
- Invest in mint plants around your property
- Adopt a cat from your local shelter
2) Spiders
Why Spiders Like Your Home in the Fall
A spider’s eggs are typically laid in the fall, and the hatchlings spend the cold winter inside the egg sac until spring. In the winter, these cold-blooded arachnids become less active, with some even going dormant. A spider that lives in a temperate zone (like in Colorado) has natural antifreeze in its body so it can survive at temperatures as low as -5 degrees Celsius! As they overwinter inside your home, however, some creatures may choose to come inside and stay as they follow food sources.
How to Prevent Spiders in Your Home
- Screen attic vents and openings to chimneys, and other areas
- Keep basements, attics, and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry
- Seal cracks and crevices on the outside of the home using caulk & steel wool
- Keep kitchen counters clean, & store food in airtight containers
- Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around the foundation
- Store firewood at least 20 ft away from the house & keep shrubbery trimmed
- Install door sweeps and repair damaged screens on doors & windows
- Inspect items such as boxes & grocery bags before bringing them indoors
- Avoid leaving pets’ food dishes out for long periods of time
- Have a proper outdoor drainage system
3) Clover Mites
Clover Mites Like to Migrate in the Fall
A clover mite is barely visible to the human eye; moreover, it can be noticed when clustered together or crawling on a light-colored surface. As they begin their Fall migration, they will climb up outside the walls (especially on the sunny side of the house) and can also work their way through screens and around doorways. Fortunately, they don’t live long in the drier atmosphere of the indoors.
How to Prevent Clover Mites in Your Home
- Clear the perimeter & have at least 2 feet free of any vegetation
- Switch out the mulch surrounding your home with crushed rock or pea gravel
- Inspect the outside of your property & seal up any entry points you find
- Have weather stripping around all of your windows, doors, and foundations
4) Silverfish
Why Silverfish Move into Your Home in the Fall
Silver fish get their name from the silver color of their bodies and the way that they move quickly, like fish. They simply like invading your home during the Fall time because there’s usually plenty to eat, areas to hide, enough livable moisture, and places to thrive.
How to Prevent Silverfish in Your Home
- Place a starchy food or substance in a glass container & tape the outside
- Avoid leaving rolled up newspapers around
- Put out sticky traps near entry ways and walls to the outside
- Use cedar or cedar oil in a diffuser or a spray bottle
- Spread dried bay leaves throughout your home
5) Pill Bugs
Why Pill Bugs Love Your Home in the Fall
Some pill bugs will crawl over asphalt, patios, and foundations at night to leave their natural habitats. Among the most common points of entry into buildings are door thresholds, especially at the base of sliding glass doors. Most often enough they enter crawl spaces, damp basements, and first floors of ground-level homes. The presence of these pests indoors often indicates that they are breeding outside, near the foundation. Generally, however, pill bugs that enter structures die after drying out.
How to Prevent Pill Bugs from Entering Your Home
- Removing harbor aging places that hold moisture
- Firewood should be stored off the ground
- Lawns should be watered in the morning to promote drying by the afternoon
- Flower beds should not be over mulched
- Properly ventilate basements & crawl spaces to eliminate excess moisture.
- Repair/seal cracks and openings in the foundation wall, doors, & windows
- Use caulking compound and weather stripping for windows
- Drain standing water and moist areas near potential points of entry
Follow these tips earlier in the year to protect your home and prevent any infestation in the Winter from any of these 5 common Fall pests in Colorado. The best time to begin prevention is when the temperature starts to drop. If these tips don’t work and you think you already have an infestation problem, please contact the local professionals at Mug-A-Bug to assess the situation and recommend treatment as soon as possible.