Olson's Pest Technicians

09/04/2026

🍂 ASK OLSON'S: Why are we talking about fall pests when it still feels like summer?

Because the best time to prevent many fall pest problems is before you notice them inside.

Fall invaders don't wait for the first freeze to start looking for protected places to spend the winter. Their movement toward homes and other structures begins well before that.

And insects aren't the only ones.

As we move toward cooler nights and shorter days, mice and other rodents become an increasing concern around homes and businesses as they look for food, shelter and protected places to nest.

That's why fall pest control is all about timing.

For overwintering insects, the goal is to intercept them on the exterior before they make their way behind siding, into wall voids, attics and other protected areas.

For rodents, it's about identifying activity and potential entry points before a small problem becomes a much bigger one inside.

It may still feel like summer outside, but fall pest season is already underway.

Is your home prepared?

09/01/2026

Holding onto grain? Don't forget what's happening inside the bin.

With commodity prices putting pressure on producers, we've seen plenty of grain held longer while farmers wait for a better opportunity to sell.

Unfortunately, the longer grain remains in storage, the more important it becomes to monitor for stored product insects.

Insects can reproduce inside stored grain, damage kernels and reduce the value of a commodity you've already invested an entire growing season into producing.

And it doesn't take a bin crawling with bugs to create a problem. Grain buyers have standards for live insects, and infested grain can be subject to discounts or even rejection.

That's where fumigation can become an important tool.

Olson's Pest Technicians provides professional grain fumigation throughout our service area to control stored product insects and help protect the quality and value of your grain.

If you've been holding grain longer than usual, now is a good time to take another look at what's happening inside the bin.

When was the last time you checked your stored grain for insects?

09/01/2026

We specialize in bat proofing homes. Give us a call for an assessment! 712-202-7799

It's the time of year when bats tend to get into houses and have more contact with people. Here's a few tips:

• Try to avoid smashing the bat - rabies testing requires the brain to be intact
• Catch the bat if possible - rabies treatment is not necessary if the bat tests negative
• Put the bat in a clear container - makes it easier to test the bat
• You have time! - rabies treatment can almost always wait until the bat is tested
• When to test a bat - if there is a bite or scratch or the bat was in the room with a sleeping person or someone that can't say for sure (like a small child)

See our website to report a bat exposure and get more information: https://www.siouxlanddistricthealth.org/disease-prevention/rabies-and-animal-bites

08/28/2026

PEST SPOTLIGHT: Asian Lady Beetles

Yes, there really are that many of them.

This photo shows Asian lady beetles gathering on the exterior of a home as they look for a protected place to spend the winter.

Often mistaken for ladybugs, Asian lady beetles are an introduced species that can range in color from yellow and orange to red, with varying numbers of black spots.

During the growing season, they're actually beneficial. Asian lady beetles feed on aphids and other insects that can damage plants and crops.

It's their fall behavior that becomes the problem.

As temperatures begin to cool, they gather in large numbers on homes and other structures, often favoring warm, sunny surfaces. From there, they search for small cracks and openings around siding, windows, soffits and other areas where they can get inside and overwinter.

Once they're in, they're in.

They can remain hidden inside wall voids and other protected areas for months, sometimes emerging inside the home during warm, sunny days throughout the winter.

That's why our fall invader treatments are happening before this activity begins.

The goal isn't to deal with Asian lady beetles after they're inside. It's to help prevent scenes like this one before they happen.

Fall invader season is here. Are you prepared?

08/25/2026

FROM THE FIELD:

While many homeowners are still enjoying summer, our technicians are already preparing homes for fall.

Late August marks the beginning of one of the most important times of the year for preventative pest control. As temperatures begin to cool, insects like spiders, crickets, beetles, cluster flies, Asian lady beetles, and boxelder bugs start searching for protected places to spend the winter.

Prevention starts now, not after they're inside.

If you're an Olson's customer, your scheduled fall services are designed around this seasonal activity. If you're not currently on a protection program, now is the ideal time to schedule a fall treatment.

📞 800 KIL BUGS
🌐 www.800kilbugs.com

08/23/2026

Good weekend for a parade at Yankton Riverboat Days. Thank to Jim S for one of these pics!

08/21/2026

🇺🇸 Red, White & Riverboat Days! 🇺🇸

Riverboat Days weekend is here in Yankton, and we’re looking forward to being part of tomorrow’s parade!

This year’s theme celebrates America’s 250th birthday, so we figured there was no better time to bring out a little piece of Olson’s history.

Keep an eye out for the 1966 Olson’s truck tomorrow, give our crew a wave, and enjoy one of the best weekends of the summer in Yankton.

We’ll see you at the parade! 🇺🇸

08/21/2026

"I have flies all over my house. What do I do?"

We receive this call every winter.

Homeowners suddenly notice dozens, sometimes hundreds, of flies gathering around windows on a warm winter day and wonder where they came from. In many cases, they're cluster flies.

Unlike house flies, cluster flies don't breed in garbage or inside your home. Their larvae develop as parasites inside earthworms in the soil during the spring and summer. As temperatures begin to cool in late summer and fall, adult cluster flies start searching for protected places to spend the winter, often settling inside wall voids and attics.

By the time you see them flying around your home in January or February, they've already been there for months. Unfortunately, there's very little that can be done once they've settled inside the structure.

That's why the best time to prevent cluster flies is before they move in.

At Olson's, we have a specific residential protection program that includes five exterior services each year, with three strategically timed fall treatments designed to protect your home as seasonal temperatures begin to change and cluster flies start looking for winter shelter.

Don't wait until winter to think about winter flies.

The time to act is now.

Have cluster flies ever become a nuisance in your home during the winter?

08/18/2026

PEST MYTH

Myth: If I don't see gaps, mice can't get in.

Fact: Mice can climb and find tiny openings you may never notice.

This photo shows a dead mouse that had likely consumed rodent bait from the nearby bait station before ending up beneath the siding. It also highlights something many homeowners don't realize: mice are excellent climbers and will explore far more than just ground level.

While the opening isn't obvious from this angle, mice are capable of squeezing through incredibly small gaps and investigating areas most people would never think to inspect.

That's why effective rodent control is about more than placing bait stations. A complete program also includes inspecting the entire structure, identifying potential entry points, and recommending exclusion where needed.

As we get closer to fall, we begin seeing more mice searching for warm places to spend the winter. Taking time to inspect your home's exterior now can help prevent unwanted visitors later.

Have you ever found evidence of a mouse and wondered, "How did it get in?"

08/14/2026

Ask Olson's

Why are boxelder bugs covering the side of my house?

If you've noticed groups of black and red insects gathering on the sunny side of your home, you're probably seeing boxelder bugs.

As the days begin to cool, boxelder bugs start searching for warm places to spend the winter. South and west facing walls receive the most afternoon sun, making them ideal gathering spots before they attempt to move into wall voids and attics.

The bugs themselves don't damage homes, but large numbers can become a nuisance once they begin finding their way indoors.

The good news? The best time to prevent boxelder bugs isn't after they're inside, it's before they get there.

Late August through September is the ideal time for preventative exterior treatments while they're still gathering on the outside of the home.

If you've started noticing boxelder bugs around your home, now is the time to start thinking about prevention before fall arrives.

Have a question you'd like us to answer? Leave it in the comments. We may feature it in a future Ask Olson's post.