Field Report: Six Pests, Three Towns, One Morning With Alejandro
One Tuesday morning in October, before lunch, Pest Pro Alejandro from our North office saw six different pests in three towns. At customers’ homes in Springfield and Joelton, he found the usual fall pests: crickets, stink bugs, lady beetles, weevils, and a tick. In Adams, he found bed bugs, and an elderly couple who needed more than a treatment.
Field Report at a glance
| Who | Alejandro, Pest Pro, North office |
| Where | Springfield, Joelton, and Adams, Tennessee |
| When | One October morning, before lunch |
| What he found | Crickets, stink bugs, lady beetles, weevils, and a tick in Springfield and Joelton; bed bugs in Adams |
| What he did | Treated customers’ homes for fall invaders and changed out monitoring boards; spent a few hours on a thorough bed bug treatment in Adams, with a follow-up in a few weeks |
| The takeaway | Most fall invaders are a nuisance. Bed bugs are the one that needs a professional. |
Springfield and Joelton: the fall invaders
As the nights get cooler, a lot of insects start looking for a warm place to spend the winter, and our homes look like a good option. Alejandro saw plenty of that at his first stops.
At each customer’s home, he treated for the fall invaders and changed out the monitoring boards. Those are the sticky boards we place in out-of-the-way spots. They catch crawling insects, so we can see what’s getting inside and where.
What Alejandro found, and what it means
| Pest | Why it shows up in fall | Should you worry? |
|---|---|---|
| Crickets | Looking for warm, sheltered spots as it cools off | Mostly a nuisance |
| Stink bugs | Gathering on sunny walls and slipping in around windows to spend the winter | Harmless to people, but they smell when crushed |
| Lady beetles | Clustering on the sunny side of homes to spend the winter | Harmless, but they can leave stains and a smell |
| Weevils | Wandering in from outdoors | Mostly a nuisance |
| Ticks | Still active on mild days | Yes. Ticks can spread disease, so check after time outdoors |
| Bed bugs | Any time of year, carried in on belongings | Yes. They need professional treatment |
Stink bugs and lady beetles are covered under our regular pest control plans, so customers don’t pay extra when they show up. Our beetle control and tick control pages have more on each.
Adams: bed bugs, and a couple in tears
Alejandro’s last stop before lunch was different. When he arrived at the home in Adams, the homeowners, an elderly couple, were crying. They knew they had brought the bed bugs into their home, and they were really upset.
Alejandro spent a few hours on a thorough treatment, and he’s scheduled to come back for a follow-up in a few weeks. We’re taking care of them, and we’ll see it through until the bed bugs are gone.
Bed bugs are not a sign of a dirty home
This is the part we most want people to hear. Bed bugs feed on blood, not dirt or crumbs. The Pennsylvania Department of Health notes that everyone is at risk of picking them up, usually as people travel, and that people rarely realize they’re carrying them home.
They’re also not known to spread disease. That doesn’t make them any less upsetting, but it’s a fact worth knowing when you’re standing in your bedroom at night.
Signs of bed bugs
- Live bugs, flat and reddish-brown, about the size of an apple seed as adults
- Tiny white eggs tucked into seams and crevices
- Dark spots along mattress and box spring seams, which are bed bug droppings
- Shed skins from young bed bugs as they grow
- Itchy bites, though bites alone aren’t enough to know for sure
If you think you have bed bugs
- Don’t panic, and don’t be embarrassed. It can happen to anyone.
- Don’t move things out of the bedroom into other rooms. That can spread bed bugs through the house.
- Don’t count on store-bought sprays. They often can’t reach bed bugs hiding in cracks and seams.
- Check bags and luggage after travel or overnight stays.
- Call a professional experienced with bed bugs for an inspection.
A morning on the route
Most of what Alejandro saw that morning was routine fall work. A stink bug on a window sill isn’t an emergency, and we’ll tell you so. A home with bed bugs, and two people who are scared and upset, gets a few hours of careful work and a plan to make sure it’s finished.
That’s the job: knowing the difference, and treating the people as carefully as the problem.
Pest control from U.S. Pest
We serve Springfield, Joelton, Adams, and all of Middle Tennessee. Learn more about our bed bug treatment. Our regular pest control is backed by our Whatever It Takes Guarantee. Call 615-590-1260 or schedule a free inspection.
FAQs
Why do I see more bugs inside in the fall?
As nights get cooler, insects like stink bugs, lady beetles, and crickets look for warm, sheltered places to spend the winter, and homes are an easy target.
Are stink bugs and lady beetles harmful?
No. They don’t harm people or homes, but they can smell or leave stains. Both are covered under U.S. Pest’s regular pest control plans.
Are bed bugs a sign of a dirty house?
No. Bed bugs feed on blood, not dirt. Anyone can pick them up, usually while traveling, and carry them home without knowing it.
What are the signs of bed bugs?
Live bugs, tiny white eggs, dark spots along mattress seams, and shed skins. Bites alone aren’t enough to confirm bed bugs.
How long does bed bug treatment take?
It depends on the home. In this case, Alejandro spent a few hours on a thorough first treatment and scheduled a follow-up visit a few weeks later.
Sources: Pennsylvania Department of Health (who gets bed bugs, how they spread, disease); Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (signs of bed bugs, not moving infested items).
