Bob Villa Says These Bugs Are Looking to Invade Your Home This Fall

When Bob Villa talks about homeownership issues, everyone listens. He is one of the world’s most trusted authorities in caring for homes.

Bob Villa doesn’t believe bugs are out to get us. They just want a lot of what we want — shelter, food and water, and a warm place to spend their winter. Most pests are opportunists. They take advantage of the weaknesses in your home to get in and make themselves comfortable.

The most likely bugs to invade your home this fall, according to Bob Villa, include:

• Centipedes tend to show up in the damper places of your home, such as bathrooms, basements, and crawl spaces. Unlike many destructive bugs, these 30-legged creatures eat other bugs.
• Silverfish are a primitive insect that likes to eat fibrous materials such as clothing, upholstery, and books.
• Crickets are nocturnal and will eat clothing and breed rapidly. The male makes chirping noises as he tries to find a mate.
• Spiders will live in your home year-round, but they can be most noticeable in the fall when they creep out from their dark corners to mate. Keep outside lights off at night as they are attracted to them.
• Bedbugs are one of the more detrimental home invaders as they cause physical harm. Coming into your home on your clothing, suitcases, purses, and car upholstery, they will make your bed theirs. They’ll also set up residence in any crevices and cracks in baseboards, electrical outlets, and headboards. Their bites can be itchy and cause a rash.
• Stink bugs are named after the unpleasant odor they secrete when threatened. They become active in the fall and look for a warm home in which to spend the winter. Bob’s simple advice is to rub screened windows and curtains with a scented dryer sheet to reduce them by up to 80%.
• Box-Elder bugs will invade your home in large numbers. Like stink bugs, they emit a foul odor when disturbed.
• Cluster flies, also known as attic flies, come into homes in the fall to hibernate in walls till spring. One good bit of news is that they do not reproduce indoors.
• Ladybugs do a lot of good in your garden, but when they invade your home in large numbers, their goodness quickly disappears.
• Seed bugs produce a loud buzzing sound as they slowly fly across the room. It can be alarming, especially if your home has many of them. They do not bite or sting, but they are tough to get rid of.

Tips for Ridding Your Home of These Fall Pests

Bob Villa’s top tip is to seal all gaps in your home so you don’t provide them easy entry. Trimming trees near your roof, fixing any water leaks, and eliminating standing water are other tips.

Bob Villa agrees that there are times a professional needs to be called in. When DIY bug removal is not successful, calling in a pest control specialist is your best defense. Ecola will provide a free inspection and has alternative pest control and alternative termite control solutions.

Call Ecola at 800 471-BUGS (2847) today. Free estimates cheerfully quoted over the phone!