Fall Pest Prevention Blog
Fall is the time of year when a lot of garden pests try to seek shelter for the winter. Unfortunately, they often consider our homes as an ideal over-wintering option.
From mice to spiders to box elder bugs, everyone seems to invade when the temperatures start to drop in the Truckee Meadows.
Photo Credit: Capri23auto from Pixabay. Deer mice (Peromyscus sp.), are common home invaders in the Western United States. They are asymptomatic hosts of hantavirus (Orthohantavirus), which can be fatal in humans. People can contract the virus when they come in contact with rodent feces and urine, which is why it’s important to keep mice out of our homes.
Integrated pest management (IPM) can help!
This system of pest control reduces pest populations using prevention and physical controls that limit the need for pesticides. Here are 3 simple IPM techniques that you can consider using this fall.
1) Keep Them Out
The first line of defense is to seal up your house and eliminate easy entry points for pests.
Install or fix screens on windows and vents
Keep doors closed and install door sweeps
Seal all cracks and holes on the exterior of your home
If you need help with these tasks, consider hiring a critter control company that offers home sealing services
Photo Credit: Carrie Jensen. Caulking and sealing cracks around windows and doorways can help prevent pests from entering your home.
2) Create Habitat in the Right Places
Animals are seeking safe and warm places to overwinter, so part of the solution can be to provide that space in other places in your yard instead of inside or near your home.
Remove leaves and vegetation at least 12 inches away from your home’s foundation. This makes the space around your home less appealing to potential pests, and it is also a good firescaping practice.
Also remove leaves and debris from your roof and gutters
Remove wood piles, boxes, or other miscellaneous debris to clean up clutter around your home’s foundation
Leave some leaves and mulch to create alternative overwintering habitat in areas away from your home (ideally 30’ or more away, especially if you live in the Wildland Urban Interface).
Leaving some leaves can create overwintering habitat for insects, including beneficial insects and pollinators. As long as we keep leaves a safe distance from the base of our homes, it can promote wildlife habitat while keeping pests away from your home's interior.
3) Use Physical Controls Instead of Pesticides
If you do end up with pests in the house, physical controls can be used as an alternative to pesticides and poison baits. If accidentally ingested, these chemicals can be harmful to pets or children, so it’s best to try other methods before resorting to these.
For mice, old fashioned snap traps or live traps can be effective physical traps that don’t use chemicals. Just be sure to properly dispose of dead mice or release live mice outside, as they can carry disease.
For spiders and insects, less toxic control methods include simply moving them outside, vacuuming them up, or squishing them with a shoe