Fall Pest Control in Southern Indiana: What Starts Moving Indoors When Temperatures Drop

The first cool nights of fall are usually welcome in Southern Indiana. You can open the windows, spend more time outside and finally give the air conditioner a break.

Unfortunately, you may not be the only one looking for a more comfortable place to spend the season.

As outdoor conditions change, pests begin searching for food, water and shelter. Garages, basements, crawl spaces, kitchens and wall voids can provide exactly what they need. A few simple precautions in early fall can help keep a small pest problem from settling in for the winter.

Check the Outside of Your Home First

Pest prevention often starts with a walk around the house.

Look closely at the areas around doors, windows, utility lines, vents and the foundation. Gaps that barely catch your attention can provide access for insects, and mice can squeeze through surprisingly small openings.

Weatherstripping that has pulled loose, damaged door sweeps and gaps around pipes are all worth addressing before temperatures drop further.

Pay attention to the garage, too. Garage doors often leave small openings along the bottom corners, especially as seals age. Once mice get into a garage, stored boxes, pet food, birdseed and clutter can give them plenty of reasons to stay.

Keep Food Sources Under Control

Pests are resourceful. A few crumbs under an appliance, an open bag of dog food or a trash can without a secure lid can become a dependable food source.

Fall is a good time to clean behind appliances, check pantry shelves and move dry foods into sealed containers. Pet food should also be stored in containers with tight-fitting lids rather than left in its original bag.

Outside, clean up fallen fruit, secure garbage containers and avoid letting piles of leaves or yard debris collect against the house.

Watch for Early Signs of Rodents

Rodents don't always introduce themselves by running across the kitchen floor.

Droppings in cabinets, scratching inside walls, chewed packaging and small gnaw marks can all point to mouse or rat activity. You may also notice shredded paper, insulation or other material being gathered for nesting.

Catching those signs early usually gives you a better chance of dealing with the problem before rodents spread into other parts of the home.

Spiders May Be Telling You Something

Seeing an occasional spider indoors isn't unusual. A sudden increase deserves a closer look.

Spiders go where they can find prey. If you're seeing more spiders around windows, basements, garages or outdoor lights, there may also be an active insect population nearby.

Removing webs helps, but lasting control often means figuring out what's attracting both the spiders and the insects they're feeding on.

Prevention Is Easier Before Pests Settle In

Once pests find dependable shelter and food, they become much harder to ignore.

Deadshot Pest Solutions inspects homes to identify pest activity, possible entry points and conditions that may be contributing to the problem. From there, treatment can be tailored to what is actually happening on the property rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

If you're seeing mice, spiders, ants or cockroaches around your home in the Evansville, Newburgh, Jasper or Boonville area, fall is a good time to get ahead of them.

Seeing signs of pests around your home? Contact Deadshot Pest Solutions to schedule an inspection and find the source before the problem gets comfortable.