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Hibernating Insects & Flies

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• Asian Lady Beetles

Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles now top the list of hibernating insects in northern regions of the USA. Beginning in late summer each year, these beetles invade homes & other structures and become "univited guests" from September through April. It's not unusual for Asian lady beetles to come by the thousands looking for a warm place to spend the winter. They bite; they exude a foul odor and stain surfaces when squashed; and they tend to create major havoc all winter long!

Tip: Avoid squashing Asian beetles — use a vacuum instead.  Professional treatment is recommended but sealing cracks and spraying gardens & foliage to kill aphids may also be helpful.

• Box Elder Bugs

Box Elder Bugs are about ½" long as adults. They're gray to browish-black with red criss-cross stripes on their wings. In late summer and fall, they leave boxelder trees and will fly quite some distance to find protected areas, including homes & heated buildings, to "hibernate" for the winter. Box elders are a real nuisance inside during warm days in winter/early spring when they wake up and become active. Their excrement leaves spots & stains on draperies that are difficult to remove.

Tip:  Exterior barrier treatments are effective when box elders first start showing up on outside walls.

• Cluster Flies

Cluster flies are large, grayish-black flies that invade homes & buildings in fall. At first glance they look like house flies; however, they are larger and more sluggish fliers. Cluster flies enter buildings in fall looking for a place to "hibernate" during winter. They often come in large numbers and become a nuisance throughout the winter and following spring.

Tip:  Avoid crushing these flies. They leave a greasy spot that can stain upholstery, carpets and wood surfaces. Professional treatment is recommended, particularly in early fall before they come in.

• Blow Flies

Blow Flies or bottle flies are also common larger flies. They're easy to distingish from house flies & cluster flies because of their (blue or green) metallic coloration. Blow flies breed in damp organic material such as garbage and dead animals. These flies often fly up & down in a window, making their characteristic buzzing sound.  Effective control requires elimination of their breeding source.

Tip:  Seeing blow flies in winter is usually indictative of a dead animal somewhere inside, most typically a rodent or bird that may have died in a wall void, crawl space, chimney or exhaust vent.

• Other Flies

Other Flies, ranging from common house flies, fruit flies, drain flies and many others, can become a real nuisance at times. Wil-Kil offers free phone consultation for homeowners that encounter fly problems. We also offer free on-site evaluation surveys for commercial & instituational facilities, as well as flying insect light trap solutions and bio-remediation services.

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• About Control

For more information about hibernating insects, flies, and custom-designed control programs for your home or business, contact a Wil-Kil Pest Specialist at (800) 236-8735.

Important:  Effective prevention of hibernating insects (e.g. Asian beetles & cluster flies) is largely dependent upon treatment timing.  For best results, schedule treatment before they get inside.