There are plenty of things about the Fall season to love. The crisp air, football, all things pumpkin, and even Halloween.
But there are some spooky and downright creepy-crawly parts about the Fall, too, including fall bugs!
We’re not talking about those cobweb decorations you might decorate your house with or inflatable spiders you have on your lawn for Halloween. We’re talking about the real deal!
The cooling temperatures make this season a prime time for many fall insects in Ohio to start to make their way inside—and that’s concerning for a lot of homeowners. While you might not mind these pests out in nature, you probably don’t want them coming into your home to take up residence.
In this article, we’ll talk about some of the fall bugs that we see most often as well as how to keep insects out of your house.
Common Ohio Insects in the Fall
These are some of the insects that we commonly see in the fall.
While these pests are commonly found outside, most pests tend to make their way inside in search of the same comforts of home that you enjoy (food and shelter being two big ones).
As the weather starts to cool down, bugs are more likely to make their way inside because they are seeking shelter from the cold.
1. Spiders
Spiders are actually not insects but are arachnids that unfortunately tend to enjoy the comforts of indoor life almost as much as we do. Most of the 8-legged crawlies you’ll find in your home are not poisonous and pose no real threat. However, spiders remain one of the most feared and unwelcome pests out there.
2. Ants
Ants are one of the most common insects found worldwide, so by no means is this just part of the fall insects in Ohio grouping. That being said, we do see ants often and once they’re in your house, they can multiply and be hard to get rid of. The key is to keep them out.
3. Silverfish
Silverfish tend to hide in small crevices during the day and then come out at night to try and find food. Like most fall insects in Ohio they love the opportunity to come inside when they have the chance.
4. Centipedes
Centipedes are another nuisance insect you might find around the house. Also referred to as “thousand leggers,” they can show up around the house, even getting upstairs. This pest commonly comes inside when there is excessive moisture, as there sometimes can be in the Fall.
5. Earwigs
These black or brown insects have a flat body and can range in size from one-fourth-inch to one-and-a-fourth inches long. Earwigs feed on decaying material such as mulch or leaves and sometimes attempt to make their way indoors, particularly when it is too wet or too dry outside. This often makes them an issue in damper parts of the home, such as a garage or basement.
Keep Insects Out of Your House
The key, no matter what the season, is to keep these pests out of your home in the first place. You should not have to worry about fall bugs…or bugs at any time of the year for that matter…hanging around inside.
There are definitely steps you can take to keep insects out of your house. For one, you should seal up all cracks and crevices. These are areas where pests are making their way inside.
It also helps to keep overgrown plant material trimmed back and away from touching the house. Again, this is often an entrypoint for many fall bugs. They might crawl on a branch on your shrub right to your siding, where they find a crack to sneak in. But if you keep your plants trimmed back, you make their entry more difficult.
Along with that, perimeter pest control can be an effective way to prevent pests like these from coming inside at all.
By treating the exterior of your home, you can eliminate the need for chemical sprays and treatments inside of the home. You can also gain peace of mind that these pests are staying outside rather than making their way in.
Oasis Turf & Tree offers a Perimeter Pest Control program that will help to tackle these 5 fall insects in Ohio as well as some others.
At the end of the day, we believe your home should be a safe place where you don’t have to worry.
If you’d like to learn more about our pest control services for your Cincinnati, Dayton, OH, or Northern Kentucky home, call us at 513-697-9090 or get your quote online, and help us find the program that is best for you, then sit back and relax.
Image Source: Centipede