Insect screening / Everlast siding

A homeowner posted a question about installing new siding, a case worth noting if you are planning a siding project of your own. They are using Everlast board-and-batten siding, a composite product with a small built-in gap (about 1/8 inch) that lets water drain out from behind it, similar to what is called a rainscreen. They paired it with HydroGap, a type of water-resistant wrap that adds extra drainage space, since their builder would not do a full rainscreen system.

The sealing details are already handled carefully: the bottom of the wall's water barrier (zip sheathing) is sealed to the concrete foundation with a flexible sealant, and the stud cavities inside the wall are sealed too. The open question is whether that 1/8-inch gap at the bottom of the siding needs a fine mesh screen to keep bugs out, or whether the gap is small enough that insects would just get in elsewhere anyway, such as around window trim or corner pieces. The homeowner also worried that a screen could eventually clog with dirt and debris, blocking the drainage the gap is meant to provide.

At the time of posting, no replies had been added, so there is no answer yet on whether the screen is worth installing. For anyone planning similar siding with a narrow drainage gap, this is the kind of tradeoff to think through: insect protection versus long-term drainage performance.