Pest guide
Fall Invader Guides
Asian lady beetles, boxelder bugs, clover mites and cluster flies move into houses each fall. Vacuum the ones inside and seal the cracks before next fall.
7 guides · Updated Oct 11, 2026
Fall invaders overview
How to identify fall invaders
Fall invaders are insects that come indoors to spend the winter, not to feed. The usual ones: Asian lady beetles (about ¼–⅓ inch, yellow-orange to red, with a black M or W mark behind the head), boxelder bugs (about ½ inch, black with red lines), cluster flies (about ⅜ inch, dark gray with golden hairs) and clover mites, red specks smaller than a pinhead (UC IPM, University of Minnesota Extension, Colorado State).
Why they’re in your house
From late summer into fall they gather on sun-warmed south and west walls and crawl in through cracks around windows, doors, siding, soffits and vents. Indoors they hide in attics and wall voids and come out on warm, sunny days through winter and spring (Colorado State, University of Kentucky).
Where to start
Vacuum the ones you see instead of crushing them, which stains and smells, and seal the gaps before next fall. Pick the guide for the bug on your windows: Asian lady beetles, boxelder bugs, cluster flies, clover mites or crickets. For brown shield-shaped bugs, see stink bugs.
How to keep them out
Sealing is what lasts, and timing matters: finish before they arrive in late summer. Caulk cracks around windows, doors, utility pipes, siding and fascia boards, repair torn screens, add weather stripping and a tight door sweep, and put window screening inside attic gable vents (UC IPM). For clover mites, a strip of bare soil about 3 feet wide along the foundation also helps keep them off the walls.
When to call a pro
Call a professional if the gaps they use are high on the house where you can’t reach safely, or if thousands return every year and you want an exterior treatment applied in late summer, before they arrive.
Sources: University of Kentucky: Asian Lady Beetle Infestation of Structures (ENTFACT-416); University of Minnesota Extension: Boxelder Bugs; UC IPM: Boxelder Bug; Colorado State University Extension: Cluster Flies and Other Winter Flies; University of Minnesota Extension: Clover Mites
Identify
1 guideWork out what you’re dealing with from droppings, damage and sightings.
Get Rid of Pests
5 guidesStep-by-step plans for pests already in the house.
How to Get Rid of Spiders in Your House
Vacuum spiders, webs and egg sacs, set sticky traps along the walls, clear clutter and seal the gaps they walk through. Sprays only kill the spider you hit. About $26 in supplies; a pro charges $100–$500.
Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 10 min read
How to Get Rid of Ladybugs (Asian Lady Beetles) in Your House
Vacuum them into a knee-high stocking instead of crushing them, then seal the cracks they use before they fly to the house next fall. Indoor sprays don’t help. Supplies run about $15.
Updated Oct 4, 2026 · 9 min read
How to Get Rid of Boxelder Bugs in Your House and Yard
Spray clusters on the outside wall with soapy water, vacuum the ones indoors without crushing them, and seal gaps 1/8 inch or larger before fall. Indoor sprays don’t help. About $15 in supplies.
Updated Oct 4, 2026 · 9 min read
How to Get Rid of Clover Mites (Tiny Red Bugs) in Your House
Vacuum or wipe them up with a damp cloth without crushing them, seal cracks around sunny windows, and keep a 3-foot strip of bare soil at the foundation. About $5 in caulk, no sprays indoors.
Updated Oct 4, 2026 · 8 min read
How to Get Rid of Cluster Flies in the Attic and Windows
Vacuum or swat the sluggish flies at your windows, use a UV light trap in the attic, and seal cracks on the sunny upper walls by mid-August. Fly paper and lawn sprays don’t help. About $5 in caulk.
Updated Oct 4, 2026 · 9 min read
Not a fall invader?
Guides for other pests.
- Mouse Control Guides44 guides
- Rat Control Guides34 guides
- Pantry Moth Guides2 guides
- Pantry Beetle and Weevil Guides2 guides
- Clothes Moth Guides2 guides
- Carpet Beetle Guides6 guides
- Cockroach Guides19 guides
- Silverfish Guides3 guides
- Springtail Guides2 guides
- Fly and Gnat Guides6 guides
- Stink Bug Guides2 guides
Fall invader questions
Do fall invaders damage the house?
No. Lady beetles, boxelder bugs, cluster flies and clover mites don’t damage the structure or furnishings. They can stain walls and curtains when crushed.
Should I spray inside for fall invaders?
No. Indoor sprays don’t help: vacuum the ones you see and seal the cracks they use to get in before next fall.
When do fall invaders come inside?
From about mid-August into October, depending on the insect, when they look for a place to spend the winter. Some reappear on warm days in winter and spring.