Pest Infestations During Mild or Late Cold Weather Seasons

Late starts to Fall and Winter with increasingly moderate temperatures are now common in Wisconsin and Minnesota.  Due to this reality, prolonged pest activity may occur in and around your property. Stink Bugs, Ticks, and Asian Beetles have been active for longer periods in recent years, finding solace in your home or business until colder weather arrives.

Exterior barrier treatments and preventative measures are key to avoiding infestations. Sealing up cracks in your foundation, open spaces, windows, and doors will greatly reduce the likelihood of an invasion. After all, insects only need approximately one eighth of an inch gap to gain entry.

Why you should make it a priority to avoid a late season infestation from Stink Bugs, Ticks, and Asian Beetles:

Photo Credit: PJ Liesch, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab.

Stink Bugs

Stink bugs do not bite and carry no significant danger for disease. However, as their species name suggests, they do carry a foul smell. Stink bugs are commonly found in walls, attics, and crawl spaces. Avoid squishing stink bugs as this can make the odor more pungent. You can try vacuuming stink bugs and relocating them outdoors to remedy the problem, but if you are seeing them in large quantities it is best to contact Madsen to get the problem under control.

Photo Credit: PJ Liesch, UW-Entomology

Asian Beetles

Asian Beetles can bite and when they do, it feels like nothing more than an uncomfortable pinch. They secrete a strong-smelling yellow liquid when disturbed. These are hibernating insects so when the weather starts to cool, they are more difficult to locate in your home or business. This can lead to “overwintering,” where Asian Beetles take refuge in your home over the winter and multiply, becoming a real problem in the following warm weather months. Because of this, it is best to call Madsen to avoid problematic infestations.

Ticks

Photo Credit: Dr. Bieneke Bron, MCE-VBD

Tick activity generally subsides in September, but because of the recent mild and late starts to Fall and Winter, activity may persist through October.  For this reason, it is advisable to continue checking all household members (people and pets) throughout the Fall. If you do find ticks on anyone in the household, be sure to use a tweezers to pull them up and out. Do not not to crush the tick before you have removed it, as this can cause the tick head to remain under your skin.

To avoid a potential infestation this Fall, call Madsen Pest Management today at: (715) 791-4777. Our expert technicians are thorough and efficient, allowing you to focus on the more important things in life.