What is an occasional invader?
When most people think of a pest infestation, it’s likely they think of bed bugs, cockroaches, or rodents. However, many other pests can quickly become a nuisance.
Occasional invaders – a group of arthropod pests that invade homes from time to time – often find their way inside throughout the year when weather conditions threaten their survival. These pests include boxelder bugs, centipedes, earwigs, house crickets, lady beetles, millipedes, pillbugs, silverfish, springtails, and stink bugs, to name a few.
Clark, your friendly pest, mosquito, termite, and grounds expert, would like to share five tips on how to prevent these occasional but still annoying pests from gaining access to your living space.
Occasional, but still a nuisance
Occasional invaders typically enter a home through exterior cracks or openings in search of food, water, and shelter. Once inside, these pests can’t survive for long periods of time if water is not available. Unless a significant amount of moisture is present, occasional invaders are likely to die within a few weeks.
While most of these pests do not pose serious health threats, it’s still important to take precautionary measures to keep them from coming inside.
Most people will spot an occasional invader at some point inside their home. Usually, one or two of these pests are of little concern, but they can turn into a bigger problem if an infestation develops. This is when you’ll need to contact a pest management professional to help get the problem under control.
Tips to preventing occasional invaders
Clark recommends that you follow these helpful DIY tips to prevent occasional invaders from infesting your home:
1. Seal up your house: Occasional invader control should begin outside by sealing cracks around windows, doors, siding, and utility pipes, and underneath wood fascia, with a good quality silicone-latex caulk. Damaged screens on doors and windows should also be repaired or replaced. Don’t forget to check for torn weatherstripping and loose mortar.
2. Reduce moisture and ventilate: Reduce or, if possible, eliminate all moist harborage sites inside the home – specifically in attics, garages, and crawlspaces – because most occasional invaders are attracted to moisture. Check for leaky water pipes under sinks, ensure that drains are not clogged, and look for signs of moldy wood. If there is any evidence of moisture buildup, install a dehumidifier.
3. Maintain your landscape: Another key to controlling occasional invaders is the removal of debris – such as mulch, leaves, grass clippings, stones, and boards – around the exterior of your home, as some of these pests are often associated with vegetation. Frequently mow and edge the lawn and weed plant beds so your home is properly landscaped. Moreover, make sure to store firewood at least 20 feet away from your house and five inches off the ground
4. Adjust your lighting: Some occasional invaders, such as stink bugs and weevils, are attracted to bright lights, so it’s recommended that you change your outdoor lighting to yellow bulbs or sodium vapor lamps, both of which are less attractive to pests. Inside, windows should be shared with blinds and curtains, so that significant light is not visible from the outside.
5. Vacuum them up: If occasional invaders enter your home, temporary but immediate relief can be achieved by using a shop-type vacuum to aid in their removal. However, if a vacuum is used to get rid of stink bugs, the bag must be thrown out to prevent the odor from permeating the area.
Got questions about occasional invaders? Call Clark
Call or text California’s trusted, friendly pest control expert at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or email us at clarkcares@clarkpest.com to help protect your home from nuisance occasional invaders.