The Hidden World of Overwintering Pests

When the weather turns cold, you may think that bugs and other pests simply “die off” until spring. But in reality, many species have clever survival strategies that allow them to make it through winter. While some hunker down in soil, tree bark, or leaf litter, others choose the warmth of houses, garages, and sheds. These are called overwintering pests.

Other pests, like spiders, mice, roaches, and silverfish are active all year long!

Common Overwintering Pests

Stink Bugs

Invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

These shield-shaped insects gather in large numbers during fall, squeezing through gaps in siding, vents, and windows. Once inside wall voids, they wait for warmer days. In spring, they often reemerge all at once.

Boxelder Bugs

These black-and-red pests love to sunbathe on warm siding in the fall before slipping indoors to overwinter. They aren’t harmful, but their large numbers and staining droppings can be a nuisance.

Wasps

Boxelder Bugs

Most wasps die off before winter, but new queens survive by tucking into attics, sheds, or hollow spaces. In spring, those queens emerge to build brand-new colonies.

Ants

Entire colonies slow down underground or inside walls, but they don’t die off. On warmer winter days, you may still spot ants foraging inside your kitchen.

The Bottom Line

Our winterizing service helps stop pests before they reemerge in spring, keeping your home protected year-round. For our winterizing service, we're using our power duster, treating hard-to-reach cracks and crevices with a dust that works immediately on winter pests and continues protecting your home for up to 8 months, long enough to help control emerging pests in the spring too!