Common Fall Pests in the Home

Fall pests -wasp nest in ceiling

Are you noticing an abundance of insect sightings in your home during the fall and winter? Unfortunately, it’s not your imagination — in fact, you may have a fall pest infestation brewing within your walls. It’s the result of pests trying to get out of the increasingly cold weather. Some of these insects and other creatures will migrate to warmer climates or burrow under debris, while others may decide that your home has just the perfect climate needed to thrive. This phenomenon is referred to as overwintering, and it’s important to notice warning signs before it gets out of hand.

It’s never fun when you find a resident of the Great Outdoors crawling on the countertops or in the corners of the room. What’s even worse, and what could cause even more damage, are the creatures that hide where you can’t see them. The pests most likely to take refuge here can include Asian Lady beetles, stink bugs, termites, wasps and rodents. Let’s explore more about these fall pests.

 

Asian Lady Beetle

Let’s say you find what looks like a ladybug, an orange-ish, reddish bug that may or may not have spots. If it’s larger than your usual garden darling, there’s a chance you may be looking at an Asian Lady beetle. And if you’ve found one, the odds are good of there being many, many more. Asian Lady beetles stick together in groups and use pheromones to communicate their location. That means that if one comes into your home to get out of the cold, the result can be a large infestation of fall pests. These bugs may not eat at your home’s structure or sting its residents, but their waste can stain as well as trigger an allergic reaction or breathing difficulties in sensitive individuals. You can prevent this, along with most other insect infestations, by making sure your home is sufficiently sealed from the elements.

 

Stink Bugs

It’s safe to say that no one is thrilled by the presence of a stink bug. The most common breed in the United States is the Brown Marmorated variety, which is an invasive species from Asia. These smelly squatters are flat and shaped like a shield, colored in mottled shades of brown and gray and sized around ¼” to ⅜”. They’re fond of quiet parts of your home like the attic or crawlspace, or anywhere else where they feel they won’t be bothered. And if they get discovered and feel threatened, they’ll release a deeply unpleasant odor that gives the bug its name. Because of that, it’s best to leave treatment to the professionals at Loyal Pest Control.

 

Termites

Termites are easily the most destructive pest in North America. They’re a serious problem, especially when considering that the annual cost of termite damage in the US is up to $30 billion.  Termites, if you have them, are always trying to enter your house. But fall and winter is when subterranean termites – the most damaging species – tend to burrow deep into the ground to wait out the cold weather. So if you get hit with an infestation you may not notice until spring, and by then you’ll likely be faced with a costly repair and a mess of inconvenience. Once termites can get in your home, they will consume wood and anything else that contains cellulose. Signs of termites in your home may include blisters on painted surfaces, hollow-sounding wood, unexplained pinhole-sized holes and more. 

 

Wasps

Most wasp colonies do not overwinter in the colder season, which leaves the workers to die with the oncoming winter. Fertilized queens, however, survive the cold outdoors in hollow logs, stumps or under leaves – or in certain structures, such as the attic of your home. Think right now: is your attic vent screened from the outdoors? If not, calling us to install one for you can prevent wasps and all manner of fall pests from making themselves comfortable without you knowing.

 

Rodents

Squirrels, roof rats and mice are all agile creatures and excellent climbers. You can see them making their way from branch to branch and across fence lines. With that in mind it’s easy to think that it wouldn’t be hard to get into your attic and make a nest. Luckily these rodents don’t tend to be very quiet. After some time you’ll hear them scratching or gnawing from up above or inside the walls. Those are both good signs that you have a rodent inside your attic or wall voids, and that means it’s time to call an experienced rodent exterminator like Loyal Pest Control 

 

Experienced Exterminators in East & Central Virginia

Loyal Termite & Pest Control has been proud to provide the citizens of East and Central Virginia with quality pest control services for the past sixty years. From bedbugs to rodents, if it shouldn’t be there then we can help you get rid of it. That’s why, if overwintering has invited some unwelcome fall pests into your home, we’re here to help. Contact us now for a free quote!

The Usual Late Summer Pests

An American dog tickThe end of summer might seem like the start of a stretch of pest-free* living, but this is often far from the case. Several kinds of pests actually thrive in or are even built for the conditions of the late summer here in Eastern & Central VA. If you want to secure pest-free* living situations for the last portion of your summer, you have to take consistent and targeted efforts to discourage bugs and wildlife from hanging out around your property. Read on to learn about common late summer pests and what you can do to stop them with our expert exterminators at Loyal Termite & Pest Control!

Pests That Love the Late Summer

Although late spring and early summer are the heights of pest prevalence, different kinds of bugs and wildlife are trying to break into our homes and businesses throughout the year, late summer included. We commonly see these pests during August and September in Eastern & Central VA:

  • Wildlife: Animals that hibernate during the winter do so to spend their summers out and about. We have to deal with raccoon, opossum, and squirrel problems every year.
  • Ticks: These parasitic pests breed in the late spring and early summer so that they can thrive for the rest of the hot season. Anytime you are around tall grass or dense vegetation, you have to watch out for ticks.
  • Bees and wasps: Bees and wasps are notorious for showing up in the summer when there’s food around. If you regularly barbecue outside or host frequent get-togethers, you might end up with a beehive or a wasp nest nearby.
  • Mosquitoes: If you let mosquito numbers build up around your property without taking any action, you could end up with a thriving population that lasts into the fall.

Preventing Common Late Summer Pests

Before taking matters into your own hands, it’s important to note that any serious pest infestation needs to be dealt with right away by a professional exterminator. However, if you want to get a head start on preventing the usual pest suspects of the late summer, add these tasks to your routine:

  1. Look for still water: Mosquitoes lay their eggs in pools of standing water, so if you can find and get rid of any around your property, you can prevent them from establishing a breeding population. Make sure to check gutters, planter boxes, and any other receptacles.
  2. Seal entry points: Gaps or cracks in roofing, siding, fencing, foundation, or around windows and doors can contribute to pest infestations. Install screens for your windows and doors or use a silicone-based caulk to seal holes.
  3. Be careful with trash: Taking out your trash often and using bins that seal outdoors will help prevent bees, wasps, wildlife, and more kinds of pests throughout the year.
  4. Keep a tidy yard: By trimming trees and shrubs, dealing with leaf piles and grass clippings promptly, and decluttering in general, you can reduce the chances of pests finding temporary shelters in your yard.

Summer Pest Experts in Eastern & Central VA

Whether you have a current pest problem that’s grown out of control or you want to get a head start on preventing these late summer pests, you can count on your local pest control company to help. Our technicians at Loyal Termite & Pest Control are licensed, certified, and well-versed in the particularities of pest seasonality in our region. We can put together an effective and environmentally-responsible pest control plan suited to the needs of your home or business. For a free quote, reach out today!

Ways to Repel Bees and Wasps Naturally

Close up image of wasp's face

Virginia is full of great outdoor activities in the summertime. It’s also full of bugs. While most of these bugs are just annoying like cicadas or gnats. Some, like bees and wasps, can cause painful stings, and even allergic reactions when they cross our paths. Want to keep bees and wasps from ruining your outdoor activities naturally? Read on to learn how!

 

Which Plants Attract Wasps and Bees?

Because bees and wasps are pollinators, they’re attracted to flowering plants. But they’re not attracted to all plants equally. Here are some species that especially attract bees and wasps:

  • Black-eyed Susan
  • Honeysuckle
  • Lantana
  • Lilacs
  • Perennial Yarrow
  • Poppies
  • Pale Purple Coneflower
  • Sweet Fennel
  • Wisteria
  • Queen Anne’s Lace
  • Sedum
  • Snapdragon
  • Sunflowers

If you regularly encounter bees and wasps around your home and you have one or more of these flowers growing nearby, it’s probably not a coincidence. Consider moving them further away from your home.

 

Which Plants Repel Wasps and Bees?

Despite being pollinators, bees and wasps aren’t attracted to all flowers. The scent of the following plants are strong natural repellents for bees and/or wasps:

  • Basil
  • Citronella
  • Geraniums
  • Marigolds
  • Peppermint
  • Spearmint
  • Thyme
  • Wormwood

If you’re considering adding some flowering plants to the outside of your home, particularly near any outdoor spaces, consider these plants. They’ll help keep stinging insects away.

 

Your Food Attracts Bees and Wasps

Summertime is a time for eating food outside. Barbecues, picnics and ice cream cones are just some of the classic ways we enjoy food outside in the summer. But these also attract wasps and bees. To help lower the odds that a striped stinging insect will ruin your barbecue, take these precautions:

  • Don’t leave food or food-soiled items out. Throw out trash and pack up leftovers.
  • Speaking of trash, make sure the trash can lid is tightly sealed. 
  • Keep your beverage closed or covered. Wasps are strongly attracted to sugary drinks.

Just as some plants repel bees and wasps, there are some foods that repel them too, including:

  • Bay Leaves
  • Cinnamon
  • Cloves
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Garlic
  • Sliced Cucumber
  • Vinegar

Because these items are relatively inexpensive and can be found at most grocery stores, they make a convenient natural pest repellent. Just splice, sprinkle or pour into a convenient container and leave them around outdoor spaces like decks, porches or patios. 

 

Make a Natural Bug Repellent with Essential Oils

If you’d like a little more control over the location and amount of pest repellent, this method may be for you. Stinging insects are repelled by the following essential oils:

  • Citronella oil
  • Clove oil
  • Eucalyptus oil
  • Geranium oil
  • Peppermint oil
  • Rosemary oil

You can make an all-natural bug repellent by combining essential oil and water. Use a ratio of two drops of essential oil per ounce of water. Put the mixture in a spray bottle and you’re ready to go. 

 

Best Bee and Wasp Control in Eastern & Central VA

These natural pest repellents can be very helpful. However, if you have a major infestation or a nest on your property, it won’t be enough. Call Loyal Termite and Pest Control today. We’re experts at safely removing wasps and bees and have been providing industry-leading pest control in Virginia for 60 years.