What the fall wave includes
Boxelder bugs are the black-and-orange bugs that mass on sunny south and west walls. Brown marmorated stink bugs are the shield-shaped bugs that give off an odor when disturbed. Asian lady beetles look like ladybugs but gather in large numbers and can stain surfaces. Cluster flies are the sluggish flies that appear at windows on warm fall and winter days. All four are looking for the same thing: a warm place to wait out the Michigan winter.
Why they get inside
As temperatures drop, these insects gather on the warm side of the house and probe for any gap, around windows, doors, utility lines, soffits, and the foundation, to get into wall voids and attics. Once a few find the way in, more follow, and they reappear on warm days through the winter.
How to keep them out
The key is timing. A treated exterior barrier applied before and during the fall push, along with sealing the gaps they use, stops most of them from getting in. Once they are inside the walls, it is harder, which is why fall invaders are best handled ahead of the season rather than after they appear indoors.
Call to connect with a local East Lansing exterminator to get ahead of the fall wave.