14 Common Fall Pests and How to Prevent Them

As summer ends and we enjoy the beauty of autumn, we may find ourselves dealing with unwelcome fall guests: insect and rodent pests. Some seasonal insects, such as flies, gnats, and mosquitoes, become less visible, while others, including rodents, enter an active phase of their life cycles or seek safe and warm winter homes.

Common insects appearing in the late summer and autumn include stink bugs, centipedes, silverfish, boxelder bugs, spider beetles, and fleas. It’s also common for spiders to migrate indoors as the weather turns cooler. There are non-toxic methods to deal with pests and rodents but note these practices may repel or deter beneficial pollinators, like bees and butterflies.

We’ve gathered helpful tips to help you control common fall pests and prevent them from entering your home.

Types of Common Fall Pests

Here’s how to identify flying insects, non-flying bugs, and rodents that appear in the fall.

Insect Pests

Insects vary by geographical location, climate, the age of your home, and other factors. The pests listed below are fairly common in many regions and you’ll find a few specific tips to repel them from your home.

• Stink bugs: Typically harmless stink bugs earn their name by giving off a pungent and unpleasant odor. They’re attracted to heat and light and often congregate on window screens in late summer.
• Centipedes: These helpful insects eat silverfish, termites, and flies but their appearance puts many people off and some varieties bite humans.
• Silverfish: These silvery insects are attracted to moisture and are sometimes seen in the bathroom and kitchen, as well as under loose rugs. Cedar shavings, essential oil, or bay leaves help repel them.
• Boxelder bugs: The slender red and black bugs are harmless although they produce an unpleasant odor. Repel them with citrus scents.
• Spider beetles: These harmless tiny brown beetles hide in cracks and crevices but become a nuisance when they invade your pantry or food cupboards.
• Fleas: Once indoors, fleas can be difficult to eradicate. Use effective flea control collars on your pets and food-grade diatomaceous earth around the house to eliminate them.
• Flour beetles: This harmless pantry pest is a slender brown beetle attracted to grain-based food, like flour. Keep grain products in the fridge or glass jars to prevent an infestation.
• Ants: These insects burrow underground for the winter but seek warmth indoors, too. Though most ants have a brief life cycle, they quickly reproduce once a colony is established.
• Cockroaches: Roaches are attracted to heat, including ovens, baseboard heating, and clothes dryers. They also need food, so clean up food, crumbs, and dirty pet dishes.
• Spiders: Though spiders are usually helpful and eat other insect pests, some species bite. Check thoroughly for webs and egg sacs in the fall to prevent them from taking up winter residence.

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Rodent Pests

In the fall, some rodents look for warmer places, usually indoors. Chipmunks and squirrels are shy of humans and seek safe outdoor-adjacent spaces, like sheds or garages. Here’s how to prevent certain rodents from incurring damage around your home.

• Mice: Field mice, house mice, and deer mice are fairly common throughout the United States. They chew things, get into food storage, and leave smelly urine and droppings behind. Mice seek warm spots near stoves or baseboard heaters. Mice may dislike the smell of peppermint, which can be used along with other methods.
• Chipmunks: Chipmunks are also vigorous chewers and are attracted to nuts and fruit. They’re generally skittish around humans.
• Squirrels: These mostly outdoor rodents often bring their babies indoors if they think it’s safe from humans. Seal cracks or holes to prevent their entry.
• Rats: Larger than mice, rats are mostly harmless but can spread disease. Rats eat almost anything from the garbage, so clean food waste from outdoor areas to keep them away.

How to Control Common Fall Pests

Consider these general, preventative, and non-toxic DIY methods to keep most fall pests away before calling an exterminator.

• Prevent entry: Seal cracks, and holes, and reinforce seals in windows and doorways to prevent insects and rodents from entering. Caulking windows (or adding adhesive foam strips on windows and doors) is an easy insulation and pest control method.
• Thoroughly clean pantry and food cupboards: Wipe down shelves and spritz insect-repelling essential oil spray into the corners to help deter food-motivated insect pests.
• Keep food products sealed: Keep foods like flour, oats, cereal, rice, and other grain products in the refrigerator or airtight glass jars to prevent pest contamination.
• Clean up food waste immediately: Quickly remove food from dirty dishes, trash cans, and sinks to get a head start on keeping pests away.
• Use essential oils: Make a spray with water and essential oils to apply to surfaces and entryways to deter pests. For example, peppermint can repel rodents, and lavender can fight off fleas and flies. Citronella (or geranium), eucalyptus, and lemongrass may fend off many insects and pests.
• Diatomaceous earth: Diatomaceous earth (food-grade) makes an effective non-toxic flea powder for dogs and cats. It is also an effective deterrent to ants and roaches. Put it across entryways and near cracks. Sprinkle it onto rugs and pet bedding, then vacuum it.
• Use non-toxic traps: There are numerous non-toxic traps for insects and rodents. Disposable tape traps secure flies and other flying insects, for example. Consider humane catch-and-release traps for rodents. Be sure to release them far from your home, or they may return.