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Accumulated leaf litter and debris in stair wells and window wells provide shelter and habitat for spiders, insects and rodents. Spring and fall cleaning will reduce pest problems in these areas.

Photo by Meredith Seaver

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Gaps between window frames and screen frames can be closed with white duct tape to help keep insects and spiders out of the house.

Photo by Meredith Seaver

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Good weather stripping and door thresholds don’t just keep out cold drafts in the winter. They also help keep out spiders, insects and small rodents, which can easily squeeze through small gaps like those in this picture.

Photo by Meredith Seaver

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The areas near doorways from garages into homes should be kept clean and clear to reduce hiding places for unwanted pests.

Photo by Meredith Seaver

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Spiders and insect pests like these boxelder bugs will try to move indoors, but good, well-fitting windows can keep them out.

Photo by Elizabeth Binks

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For most of the yard and garden season, we’re trying to keep a variety of critters out of our gardens and home orchards and off our lawns — insects, rodents, deer, skunks, etc. With October in full swing now, some of you may be finding a few of these unwanted visitors trying to make themselves at home indoors with you.

Some rodent, insect and spider problems are related to the way we landscape around our homes. Dense plantings along the foundation can provide habitat for many kinds of insects, and where you find insects, you’ll usually also find spiders hoping to catch an easy meal. Accumulated leaves, twigs and trash also provide shelter for mice.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include shrubs, perennials and annuals in your landscaping. It does mean that you should schedule time each spring and summer to keep this area clean and then do a thorough cleanup of the foundation area in the fall: remove weeds and dropped twigs and leaves, don’t let litter or clutter accumulate around the foundation and under your shrubs, and clean up annuals and perennials at the end of the season. Light pruning under any foundation shrubs will make this job easier. If you’re putting in new landscaping, think about how you can make this an easier job.

Exterior basement stairwells and basement window wells can also provide habitat for rodents, insects and spiders. Clean out any clutter and plant debris in these areas in the spring and again in the fall.

In addition to reducing shelter for rodents, insects and spiders near the foundation of your home, there are some good exclusion steps that will make it harder for these critters to come indoors in the fall and winter.

• Inspect your doors and windows inside and out, looking for any small openings or gaps that may provide access for spiders and insects. Spiders, and even mice, can squeeze through surprisingly small spaces.
• Window and door frames should fit into walls tightly and doors and windows should fit into their frames tightly. Use caulk to seal any small gaps around the frames.
• Window screens should be in good condition and fit tightly as well. White duct tape can be used to seal off the tiny gap between screen frames and window frames.
• Weather stripping, door sweeps and thresholds should be in good condition.
• Keep the area clean around doors that go from the garage into the house.
• Use caulk to close any small gaps where the natural gas line and AC refrigerant line come into your home.
• Repair any ventilation openings along the top of the foundation, if needed.
• Don’t leave doors standing open when you aren’t actively moving in and out of the house as mice can easily slip in unnoticed.

Will clean foundation plantings and good exclusion give you a completely spider/insect/rodent-free home? No. Unwanted visitors may still occasionally find their way indoors, but there are a variety of effective traps and baits to help you when they do.

Meredith Seaver is a USU Extension horticulture assistant.