Scratching in the walls? Cobwebs in the corners? 13 fall pests and how to banish them

As fall brings cooler temperatures and stunning foliage, it also signals when pests seek shelter indoors. Do you call a reputable pest control company or tackle this pesky problem alone? We’ll introduce you to the most common fall household pests and share expert tips on how to safely and effectively keep them from taking up residence in your home.

What are the most common fall pests by region?

Each year, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) releases its biannual “Bug Barometer,” which predicts which pests will be active in each region during the fall and winter.

Due to above-average temperatures this year, mosquitoes and ticks are expected to remain active in the fall. But as soon as colder weather hits, rodents and other overwintering pests will become a significant issue as they make their way inside.

However, fall pests can vary by region due to differences in climate and local ecosystems. Here are the most likely pests in your area.

13 common fall pests (and how to get rid of them)

As temperatures begin to drop, insects become less active. “Some will die off in the cold, but others will seek out places to overwinter and wait until warmer temperatures in the spring,” Becca Tellar, the head of customer experience at DIY pest control provider Pestie, explained.

Rodents like mice and rats seek warmth and food, often making their way into homes. They can easily squeeze through tiny gaps to get inside.

Tellar also named Asian ladybugs, cluster flies, stink bugs, ground beetles and box elder bugs as some of the most common household pets that invade our homes in the fall. She advised homeowners to “seal up any gaps around your doors and windows and apply an insect barrier around the inside and outside of your home.”

1. Rodents

Rodents, including mice and rats, usually invade homes as temperatures drop or after the first frost. You can spot signs of a rodent infestation by looking for droppings, gnaw marks and nests made from shredded materials. Rodents are excellent at squeezing through small gaps, making it essential to seal entry points.

“If you can slide a No. 2 pencil under a door or find an opening the size of a dime, a mouse can gain entry. If you can place a nickel standing on end beneath a door or find an opening the size of a quarter, a rat can get in,” said David Lofquist, pest control expert and region technical training manager at Arrow Exterminators.

Rodent control expert Blair Calder, the CEO of Automatic Trap, a company focusing on humane solutions to rodent and pest problems, emphasizes that your garage is the most overlooked area for mice infestation. As the weather cools, mice seek warmth in car engines and air vents to prepare for nesting.

“Most people don’t even realize they have rodents in their car engine until the wiring is chewed up, resulting in a costly repair that can run thousands of dollars,” he said. Calder advised checking for droppings in your garage or a foul stench from your AC or heater, which could indicate a dead or live mouse in your air vent or engine.

Calder recommended using self-resetting automatic traps, which his company sells. “The common snap traps can often injure fingers, kids and pets. Poison is dangerous to both pets and kids and most people don’t want it spread around their house. Glue traps are inhumane and should never be used,” he said.

The Humane Society of the United States offers some tips if you want a humane way to remove mice. The organization claims that a live trap is the only humane method to capture mice. “Glue boards, snap traps, poisons and electrocution traps, on the other hand, are incredibly cruel and cause undue suffering to animals,” they claim. Native white-footed mice and deer mice that enter homes in early fall or winter can be live-trapped and released outdoors.

While you can deal with an occasional mouse using DIY solutions like traps, it’s best to call an exterminator if the problem persists.

2. Box elder bugs

Box elder bugs often invade homes in late fall, seeking warmth. They tend to gather on the sunny sides of buildings or near windows and hide in small cracks and crevices in walls to shield themselves from the cold.

The most noticeable sign of box elder infestation is their invasion in large numbers. Other signs include buzzing sounds, droppings that leave stains and an unpleasant odor when the bugs are crushed. While box elder bugs pose no harm to humans or pets — they are neither poisonous nor do they bite or spread disease — be careful with DIY efforts to get rid of them.?

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) recommends avoiding killing them inside wall voids, as this can attract other pests, like dermestid beetles. Instead, they suggest using a vacuum for temporary relief and sealing entry points to prevent future infestations. If the problem persists, contact a licensed pest control professional.

3. Asian lady beetles

Asian lady beetles usually seek shelter in the early fall and can congregate in attics and wall voids. The most noticeable sign of an Asian lady beetle infestation indoors is the presence of large numbers of beetles around windows, doors and light fixtures, as well as on walls and ceilings.

These beetles are often confused with harmless ladybugs, but unlike their docile counterparts, they are aggressive and can become a nuisance, swarming and biting in large numbers. When threatened, they secrete a foul-smelling yellow fluid from their leg joints to deter predators.

To effectively prevent Asian lady beetles from entering your home, focus on sealing small cracks and gaps with high-quality silicone caulk and plugging larger openings with copper mesh or foam. Also, ensure that window and door screens are intact and consider installing door sweeps and weather stripping to block potential entry points.

Once an infestation occurs, you can vacuum up the Asian lady beetles and immediately empty the bag or sweep them into a dustpan and release them outside. Avoid crushing them, as this can leave yellow stains. These insects multiply quickly, so contact a pest control company to take care of them.

4. Ticks

You might think of ticks as summer parasites, but they are still active in the fall, looking to feed in preparation for winter. They are tiny parasites that need blood from humans or animals to survive and can carry serious diseases, including Lyme disease. You can come into contact with ticks if you spend time outside near wooded or brushy areas.

Tick infestations can start when a single tick is brought into the home, typically by attaching itself to a person or pet. While only certain ticks, like brown dog ticks, can live indoors, they can reproduce and lay eggs in areas such as baseboards, window frames and furniture.

Ticks can attach to various body parts, making them difficult to detect. Regularly check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks. You can also spray or powder pesticide to help kill ticks inside your home. However, contacting a professional exterminator might be your best option if you find multiple ticks.

You can check out the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Tick Bite Data Tracker, which provides emergency department data on visits for tick bites, broken down by date, location, age and sex.

5. Bats

Around October, bats start looking for hibernation sites, so don’t be surprised if they choose your attic. Bats can squeeze into your home through openings as small as a quarter. Be sure to inspect for existing holes, as bats don’t create holes but use ones already there.

If you have an infestation, you may notice clusters of bat droppings (guano), milky-white urine stains on windows, unpleasant odors and noises such as squeaking, scratching and crawling in attics or walls around dusk and dawn.

A professional exterminator can evaluate the infestation and take necessary, humane action. Jamie Nichols, a senior service center manager at Arrow Exterminators, explained that if bats are inside the living spaces of your home, such as bedrooms, you and your family will need to leave until the bats are removed and relocated. “This is especially important if you have elderly individuals or very young children who may have difficulty communicating if they’ve had contact with a bat,” he said.

“Bats are beneficial to have around the home, as they help control the mosquito population, and their droppings (guano) can be used as fertilizer — but they shouldn’t be inside the home,” he added.

Federal and state laws protect bats because they benefit the environment by eating insects, helping protect gardens from pests and homeowners from mosquitoes. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service suggests installing a bat house before evicting a colony from your home.

Be aware that bats can carry rabies, so no human should come into contact with them. Never touch a bat; if you have been bitten by one, call your state health department immediately. Each state may have different laws protecting bats, so before you take any action to remove them, contact your state wildlife agency or local wildlife rehabilitators.

6. Snakes

Snakes can enter your home during any season, but the chances increase in the fall for several reasons. As temperatures drop, they may seek warm, dry, dark spaces like basements to nest and lay eggs. They can also be accidentally brought inside when items like large potted plants are moved indoors. If you have a rodent infestation, snakes may follow to hunt mice and rats, which are part of their diet.

Some signs of snake infestation include spotting their eggs or droppings, which can resemble bird feces but might be larger and contain hair or bones from their last meal. You might also find shed skin as the snakes grow.

To prevent snakes from entering your home, Orkin recommends sealing all cracks and holes around the foundation and ensuring that doors and windows fit tightly. During colder months, snakes may seek shelter in crawl spaces and basements, so leaving damp burlap bags in areas where they’ve been seen can encourage them to leave. After several days, remove the bags with a shovel.

Call your local animal control agency or professional exterminator if the infestation is beyond your control. Note that snakes are protected by law in most states and should never be killed indiscriminately. Most snakes in North America are nonvenomous, but if a poisonous snake bites you, call 911 immediately or have someone transport you to the hospital.

7. Termites

Termites are small insects that live in colonies that can number in the thousands or even millions. A mature colony can cause significant structural damage to your home before you notice any signs of an infestation. Termite colonies remain active all year and can enter your home regardless of season. In the fall, however, termites seek warm, sheltered environments.

Signs of a termite infestation include damaged wood that appears splintered, crumbled or softer than usual due to termites hollowing it out from the inside. Additionally, you may notice wood-colored droppings called “frass” near termite tunnels, along with mud tubes, which are dirt tunnels that termites build to travel from the ground to wooden structures, often found along your home’s foundation.

According to? the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Every year, termites cause billions of dollars in structural damage, and property owners spend over two billion dollars to treat them.” So how do you prevent them?

The EPA says making your home’s structure less appealing to these pests is crucial. Use a concrete foundation during construction and ensure a ventilation space between soil and wood. Seal exposed wood surfaces with protective materials. After construction, the EPA recommends maintaining proper drainage around the foundation, fixing leaks immediately and reducing access points by sealing cracks and ensuring vents remain clear of blockages.

Regular inspections can help prevent termite colonies before they become established; annual termite prevention conducted by an exterminator costs anywhere from $500 to $1,400.

8. Wasps

Wasp populations peak in the fall after growing throughout the summer. As temperatures drop, you may notice more wasps swirling around your home, and they may appear more aggressive. This increase in aggression occurs because food becomes scarcer in the fall, leading wasps to compete for resources.

Wasps search for food and warm places to wait out the season, including your home. Signs of a wasp infestation include seeing large groups of wasps regularly, hearing buzzing sounds or discovering dead wasps indoors. You may also notice damaged wood, as wasps chew on it to build their nests or find an actual nest.

To prevent wasp nests inside your home, seal any nook or cranny, as they like to build nests within walls, beneath the grooves of siding or along the edges of the roof. If you have a garden, keep nectar-rich flowers as far away as possible from areas like your deck or patio. Make sure your outside trash cans have tight-fitting lids, and avoid any food or drink spills, as they attract wasps.

However, experts advise against removing the nest yourself due to the risk of stings. Instead, contact a professional exterminator.

9. Stink bugs

Stink bugs eat a wide range of crops, making them a headache for farmers and gardeners. In early fall, stink bugs seek shelter to overwinter inside. While they don’t bite humans or pets or damage buildings, they can be a nuisance. Stink bugs release an unpleasant odor when threatened or crushed, which is how they got their name.

Once inside, they can gather in spots like bookcases, under beds and couches, window and door rims and attics. Like other pests, stink bugs can enter through cracks and crevices, so it’s important to seal any holes to prevent their entry. Signs of stink bug infestation include sighting them dead or alive, pungent smell and damage to houseplants, as well as fruits and vegetables left unattended.

A simple way to remove stink bugs is regularly vacuuming cracks and crevices with a narrow-tip attachment; just make sure to throw out the vacuum bag immediately after use to avoid the lasting smell. You can also make a DIY trap using a metal pan filled with soapy water. Place it under a light source as the light will attract the bugs, trapping them in the water. Call an exterminator if DIY efforts prove ineffective and you notice more stink bugs.

10. Spiders

You might think you see more spiders indoors in the fall because they come into shelter for the winter. However, that’s a common myth. According to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, house spiders are usually not the same species as outside spiders and live indoors throughout the year. The reason you might see more of them in the fall is because male spiders come out to mate.

House spiders are harmless and actually beneficial for an indoor ecosystem as they eat flies, moths and even other spiders, effectively reducing the number of pests in homes. Some entomologists advise against killing spiders, suggesting that you capture and release them outside or allow them to remain indoors to help control other pests. However, if seeing a spider makes your skin crawl, you can prevent them by decluttering your home, regularly removing spiderwebs and using natural repellents like peppermint oil to deter them.

The CDC only lists two venomous spiders native to the United States that could do real harm when they bite a person — black widows and brown recluses — and notes that outdoor workers are at risk of encountering them.

11. Fruit flies

Fruit flies thrive in the fall because they are attracted to overripe fruits and vegetables in your kitchen. As it gets colder, these tiny insects find warm, moist places, like drains and trash cans, perfect for laying eggs and multiplying quickly. According to Orkin Exterminators, once fruit flies begin reproducing indoors, “females are able to lay about 500 eggs and the eggs will hatch in as little as 24-30 hours[…] This makes the pests difficult to control.”

Fruit flies can pose health risks as they carry bacteria that can contaminate surfaces in your kitchen, including counters, dishes and fresh food. They may also spread harmful pathogens such as E. coli, salmonella and listeria, which can lead to foodborne illnesses.

To prevent a fruit fly invasion, refrigerate your fruits and vegetables; regularly empty your garbage bins and seal them tightly; clean any spills, especially those of sugary drinks. Also, since fruit flies can breed in drains, clean them with boiling water, bleach or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. If DIY efforts fail, hire an exterminator.

12. Cockroaches

Cockroaches might come inside to escape the cold or the heat outside. While it may be difficult to completely prevent roaches from entering our homes, as we can even bring them inside in our grocery bags, boxes or purses, we can try to prevent them from staying. Signs of a roach infestation include droppings that look like coffee grounds and shed skid when they grow or their egg cases.

Like fruit flies, roaches can carry bacteria like E.coli and salmonella, so proper sanitation is crucial to prevent an infestation. Do not leave any uncovered food out overnight, including pet food, as well as any unwashed dishes. Frequently clean hard-to-access areas — like behind stoves and refrigerators — to remove any accumulated food crumbs.

While you may try to use DIY efforts to get rid of roaches, Orkin exterminators warn that these pests are highly adaptable and may be resistant to some DIY extermination methods, so do not hesitate to price out a professional exterminator.

13. Cluster flies

Cluster flies enter homes in early fall, looking for a place to hibernate. They can find their way inside through openings in the walls, cracks and crevices near window and door frames or open windows. They gather in places like attics and wall voids to hibernate for the winter. You can spot them swarming by windows in the spring after they wake up from hibernation, but indoor warmth or warm weather can also interrupt their hibernation.

Sealing all openings and installing window screens is the best way to prevent cluster flies. Some DIY methods to eliminate cluster flies include vacuuming them, using flypaper or sticky traps or spraying an approved indoor pesticide. If you still notice large numbers of them, schedule a visit with an exterminator.

7 fall pest prevention tasks

Clean up your outdoor spaces

Tidy up your outdoor spaces by removing debris like leaves, sticks and mulch where pests may hide. Clear out clutter from patios, decks and garden areas, and store firewood away from your home to prevent pests from making it their winter shelter.

Seal and repair your windows

Seal and repair your windows to prevent pests from entering your home. Check for gaps or cracks around the frames and use caulk or weather stripping to close any openings. This keeps bugs out and improves energy efficiency by reducing drafts.

Clear your gutters

Clearing your gutters is essential for preventing pest infestations. Clogged gutters can accumulate standing water and debris, creating an inviting habitat for pests like mosquitoes, termites and even birds. Keeping your gutters clean reduces the likelihood of these unwanted guests and protects your home from potential damage.

Check your foundation

Checking your foundation is crucial for pest prevention, as small cracks and gaps can provide entry points for insects and rodents. Regularly inspect the foundation for any signs of damage and seal any openings to keep pests out.

Take out the trash

Sanitation is key for pest prevention. Regularly take out the trash, as food waste can attract insects and rodents. Ensure that trash bins are sealed and disposed of promptly to reduce the risk of infestations.

Use pest prevention on household pets

Your pets like cats and dogs are also vulnerable to pests like ticks and fleas, which then can also infest your home and bite humans. The easiest way to protect pets is to use preventative treatments, such as topical solutions, once a month. Also, regularly wash pet bedding and vacuum living spaces to eliminate existing infestations and reduce the likelihood of re-infestation.

Call a pest control expert

If you’re facing a persistent pest problem that DIY methods can’t resolve, it’s time to call a pest control expert. Professionals have the training and tools to effectively identify and eliminate infestations while minimizing health risks to your family and pets. Regular pest control inspections can also help prevent future infestations by targeting the source of the problem and ensuring that your home remains pest-free.

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