Overwintering Pests

What Are Overwintering Pests?

Before you can deal with an overwintering pest problem, you need to learn how to identify overwintering pests. Several insects fit into this category. What is an overwintering pest? It is a pest that prefers sheltering during the winter. The pest will either hide outside or in your home. If they find a way inside, they’re going to make your life miserable.

Which Pests Overwinter?

Again, you have to remember that certain pests overwinter. In Washington DC, it is common to encounter several overwintering pests, including Boxelder bugs, Asian lady beetles, Stink bugs, and more.

Box Elder Bugs

Boxelder bugs aren’t a big problem during the summer, but they can damage your garden plants. However, they prefer eating seeds belonging to maple and boxelder trees. They’re problematic during the winter since they’ll try to enter your home. They are typically half an inch in length, and they’re black with red marks. Thanks to their compact size, these bugs will be able to enter your home through small cracks and crevices.

While they’re not dangerous, you’ll want to stay away from them. Smash a boxelder bug, and they’ll receive a terrible odor, and they can leave a stain.

Asian Lady Beetles

Ladybugs are cute and adorable during the spring and summer. When it gets cold outside, they’re not going to be so adorable. They can turn your life upside down and create numerous problems. Ladybugs can enter your home and shelter during the winter. Ladybugs can bite, but it is rare. The biggest problem is that they’ll fill your home and become a nuisance. Don’t crush ladybugs because they’ll release a terrible odor.

Cluster Flies

While cluster flies live outside most of the time, they may enter the home during the cold, winter months. During the cold months, these overwintering pests will attempt to enter your home and shelter away for the winter. They’ll also try to hide behind loose tree bark. As the name implies, cluster flies will cluster together. When you see their large numbers, you’ll be frightened. Don’t worry because they won’t hurt you.

Leaf-Footed Pine Seed Bugs

Leaf-footed pine seed bugs can produce one generation each year. During the warm months, these bugs will eat pine cones and pine cone seeds. When it gets cold, they’re going to hide and take shelter. They’ll try to take shelter in your home or elsewhere. If possible, they’ll shelter under the bark of certain trees. They’re small enough to enter your home through small cracks, gaps, and other openings.

Since they’re so big, seeing a leaf-footed pine seed bug will frighten you. Thankfully, they’re not dangerous, but you will have a mess to clean up.

Stink Bugs

Adult brown marmorated stink bugs have a unique shield-like shape, and they grow roughly ½ an inch. These pests are new to the United States. They are native to Asia and have quickly become a problem across the United States. When it is warm outside, stink bugs are going to eat vegetable crops and other plants. If you don’t act, they will destroy your crop. Once the temperatures drop, stink bugs are going to seek shelter. They’ll try to hide in your home. While they’re not dangerous, you don’t want to scare stink bugs.

It is best to suck them up with a vacuum cleaner. They will release a bad odor when they’re scared, stressed, and crushed.

Identifying An Overwintering Pest Infestation

When it begins warming up again, overwintering pests will make themselves visible as they try to leave your home. Furthermore, your furnace may cause overwintering pests to exit your home. When the worst winter months have passed, the pests will show up indoors and try to leave your home. During the summer, they don’t want to be inside of your home. They’re trying to go back outside.

Some overwintering pests will get confused and venture throughout your home. If you find stink bugs, ladybugs, or other overwintering pests during the spring, you’ve likely had an overwintering pest problem over the winter.

Can I Prevent Overwintering Pests?

To prevent overwintering pests from turning your life upside down, you need to stop them from entering your home. For starters, you need to seal the gaps and cracks around your home. Seal your home and make it impossible for overwintering pests to enter. If they still find a way into your home, you need to call us. We can take care of your overwintering pest problem quicker than anyone else.

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