'Fall invaders:' The insects seeking shelter in Ohio homes and how to keep them out
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – As temperatures drop in Ohio and insects seek shelter from the cold, many residents end up hosting unwelcome house guests.
Joe Boggs, an assistant professor with the Ohio State University Department of Entomology, said boxelder bugs, brown marmorated stink bugs, Asian lady beetles and western conifer seed bugs are among “fall home invaders.”
“What they're looking for is basically to get to a place in our homes where it is just warm, not frozen, and not too hot,” Boggs told NBC4. “That would be like, for example, in between the walls, or around window casings, or door jambs, sometimes in attics.”
Boggs said when the pests end up inside a home, it is a “total accident,” which can result in them dying of starvation. The bugs feed heavily in the fall to build up fat for the winter. Their metabolism is tied directly to the temperature, so the colder it is, the slower they burn fat and the warmer it is, the faster they burn fat, according to Boggs.
“They're doomed if they [enter a home] because there's nothing for them to eat and our warm homes will cause their metabolism to go up and they burn through their fat reserves,” Boggs said.
Nevertheless, the insects often find their way indoors while searching for shelter from the cold, rain and snow. None of the aforementioned fall invaders are harmful to humans, but when eaten by pets, they may cause an upset stomach.
“They don't cause any harm,” Boggs said. “They're a nuisance. They're not going to come in and bite you. That's not their M.O.”
Ohio residents can prevent the insects from entering their homes by caulking any gaps around windows, door jambs and door frames, according to Boggs. He also suggested replacing old door sweeps and ensuring any vents that lead outside are properly screened. Attic soffits can be another entry point, so Boggs recommended repairing any openings.
“What I always recommend is don't become overwhelmed,” Boggs said. “If you have an older home and you're consistently getting insect invasions, it's best to just start on part of the home and get it sealed up, do what you can, and then move along.”
When already dealing with insects in the home, Boggs said residents can simply usher the pests out with a dustpan. People can also knock the insects into soda or water bottles to escort them outside, or fill those containers with soapy water to kill the pests, he said.
He advised Ohioans against smashing Asian multicolored lady beetles and stink bugs, because they can secrete liquids that stain walls and fabric, and release an unpleasant odor. Using a household vacuum to suck up the insects can have a similar effect.
“It becomes a bug blender, and that can cause that vacuum to take on an odor, so that every time you vacuum your house, it'll stink,” Boggs said. “A person usually only does that once and it's like, well, I'll never do that again.”
However, shop vacs can serve as an effective way to dispose of the insects, according to Boggs. He also said there are a number of do-it-yourself traps residents can make, including light traps, which involve using a light source placed over a shallow dish of soapy water that the pests fall into.