A home is supposed to be your safe place to relax and put your worries away for a while. Nothing ruins that peace and tranquility quicker than seeing an unwanted pest in your personal space.
With so many types of pests moving around the country, it’s almost impossible for a house to avoid these visitors altogether. Because of this, several people turn to pest control services to protect their homes. But many homeowners focus on the summer months and completely disregard all the winter pests they can experience.
Winter can sometimes be an even worse time for pests because they’re looking for a warm place to live. It’s important to know what types of winter pests will be around and how to get rid of them. Read this guide to get all the information you need to prepare!
1. Mice and Rats
Some of the most feared common pests to have entered your home are mice and rats. Everyone knows how dirty they are and that they carry all kinds of bacteria or diseases. You feel immediately disgusted when you see signs of these intruders around your home.
While they come around at all times of the year, you may be more likely to see them in the winter as they have a harder time finding food during the colder months.
You must thoroughly inspect your home after a sighting to ensure you remove every rodent from the scene. Doing this will hopefully help you find the entrance point as well. Once that is sealed up, you can feel much better that you won’t continue to have the issue.
2. Other Rodents
Unfortunately, rats and mice aren’t the only types of rodents homeowners may have to deal with through the winter. Other winter pests will be experiencing the same lack of food options and the need for a warm place to stay.
Sometimes this will lead larger rodents like squirrels, raccoons, or opossums to force their way indoors for a safe place to be. These animals pose a more significant threat because of their size and ability to cause damage quickly. Your best option is to call your pest control service to handle them promptly.
The procedures for removal are fairly similar to the smaller mice or rats, speed being the most important aspect!
3. Spiders
Spiders are much less destructive but generally come in much higher numbers than rodents and other winter pests. It seems like once you see one or two, you see hundreds! For many people, they are much less frightening than other pests, even if they won’t do much harm to you or your home.
It is essential to watch for poisonous varieties, like black widows or brown recluses, as they tend to move inside more during those winter months.
Investigating your property will help locate any webs or egg sacks so you can eliminate them before the problem spreads. For these pests, it’s a good idea to have regular treatments done multiple times a year to prevent them from ever getting in.
4. Silverfish
The issue with having winter pests in your home is they often go unnoticed and undetected until there are too many of them to handle quickly. Several people find this to be the case with silverfish.
This bug is not as widely known or recognized because it usually hides in dark, humid places. So you’ll find them most often in crawl spaces or attics, where you only go a few times a year. While silverfish silverfish aren’t particularly dangerous, they can cause damage to your home and even trigger an allergic reaction if there are enough of them.
For easier removal of these winter pests, professional chemical treatment is the quickest way to stop the problem.
5. Bed Bugs
There might not be a more intrusive pest than the bed bug that can truly be a thing of nightmares.
A bed bug infestation is frustrating because it’s impossible to detect them until it’s too late. The primary sign is skin rashes and irritations caused by them biting you to feed on your blood at night, a horrifying concept many people have to face.
Since they are so hard to see and can fit in so many tiny places, professional treatment is the best way to ensure you get the whole problem sorted out. A pest control team knows exactly where to look and will fish out all their hiding spots.
6. Cockroaches
Cockroaches are another pest that gives homeowners the heebie-jeebies. They look menacing with their spiky legs and long antennae, and they can also bring all kinds of bacteria with them for more problems.
As the days get colder, these winter pests start looking for shelter and food options. Generally, if you see one, there are more close behind. Especially when there is an abundant food source. Since they move so quickly, it can be difficult to catch them.
A pest control professional understands exactly how important swift action is in these cases and will get your home cleared in no time.
Best Practices for Protecting Against Winter Pests
The colder months are the best times to settle into your home and enjoy the cozy atmosphere you’ve worked so hard to create. Winter pests will undoubtedly ruin those feelings, making it difficult to want to spend time there. It’s important to take all the necessary steps to avoid these issues altogether.
Working with our professional pest control teams will allow you to create solid plans that will clear out an infestation and prevent future ones. That way, you can feel peace of mind all through the colder months.
While these steps will help reduce the likelihood of a winter pest issue, there is no guaranteed way to eliminate all risks. If you’re ready to minimize your risk, contact us today!
