Where is September going? It’s hard to believe full-blown autumn is right around the corner, particularly since we’re still experiencing temperatures in the 80s. That’s not normal for these parts. Here are the pests to look out for this fall. (Spoiler: the big bads this year are by far mice and stinkbugs.)

Mice

As I set the boys’ plates on the table for lunch, I noticed something running from the tomato plants to the remaining sunflowers.

They were mice. I kid you not. It was like reading one of the children’s books with the playful country mice dashing up the stalks to gather seeds for the winter.

Frankly, I’m torn on what to do with them. They’re really not hurting anything. I don’t care if they take some sunflower seeds; it’s probably how most of them are planted anyhow. But I’m not so keen on the hanta virus threat.

As many people know, several people died in Yosemite National Park this year due to exposure to the hanta virus picked up from mice feces in some of the cabins. I’ll have to be careful when I pull up the tomatoes to not inhale the dust just to be on the safe side. The good thing is the ultraviolet light from the sun does kill the virus, but for anyone cleaning out old sheds, it’s a wise idea to wear a mask to minimize breathing in the virus. When I’m cleaning the garden shed (which needs to happen fairly soon), I’ll spritz the floor or shelves that have feces on them with a 10% bleach solution to kill the virus. And I’ll wear clothes that I can remove before coming indoors. I don’t want to bring it into the house.

Keeping mice out of the house at this time of the year is the tough part. A few weeks ago I reached in my drawer dedicated to pasta to find tore bags and mouse droppings everywhere. I tossed it all. We set traps, catching just a couple, but I know more will follow when the weather finally changes. To effectively keep them out you need to seal up any hole that is over ¼ inch in size. That’s tough! Start looking around, under garage doors, along the foundation, in windows, and you’ll probably be surprised at how many options there are for mice to enter the home.

Stink bugs

We don’t have much of an issue out here, but I’ve talked to a number of people who are more than fed up with stink bugs, particularly the brown marmorated stink bugs that are a big problem.

It’s in 36 states (so far), and they’ve cost growers a substantial amount of money. They’ve done tremendous damage to apple crops throughout the Northeast, plus hammering other fruit trees and corn. At this time of the year they want to hang out for the winter in your home. While they don’t bite, as you might imagine, if you squish them they emit a strong odor. They’re not something you want as a roommate, particular since they can bring a few hundred friends.

As with the mice, seal up everything. Use caulk around the windows and doors, and don’t overlook the soffit. You might be surprised at the number of little gaps there are that allow the bugs to enter. If they’re congregating on the outside of the house or building, use a vacuum to suck them up. Keep in mind, it might smell from the alarmed and dead bugs.

Since we don’t have the brown marmorated stink bug here in Montana, but I think it’s important that you know what it looks like, I included a picture from istock copyright ibunt.