Where do pests go in the winter? This all depends on the type of pest. Many pests, like mosquitoes, lay their eggs during the fall months and die off as the weather gets colder. Come spring, the preserved eggs hatch, welcoming a new season of painful bites and ruined gatherings. Other pests, like mice, spiders, and cockroaches, have different plans to survive the winter months. Their plan involves your home and a fair amount of trouble. But only if you aren’t prepared to stop them.
Mice & Rats
Keeping warm is a huge motivator for mice and rats. When the colder weather hits, rodents begin scrambling to find somewhere to hunker down. Often, this drives them into human residences. Once inside, rodents can cause a fair amount of trouble. Using their sharp teeth, rodents can chew through walls, utility piping, furniture, and even electrical wiring. Covered in filth, rodents are known to carry and transmit a slew of dangerous diseases. Rodents even have a propensity to carry fleas and ticks into homes. This can be particularly troublesome for indoor pets.
Cockroaches
Known to travel between homes through utility piping and sewer lines, cockroaches are pests you should be worried about. Capable of carrying and transmitting 33 different kinds of bacteria, 7 human pathogens, and 6 dangerous parasitic pests, cockroaches are some of the worst pests you can have inside your home. On top of all this, cockroaches can trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions to the skin they shed.
Spiders
Built with a natural antifreeze within their bodies, spiders do not need your home for warmth. What they do need are the other insects that were pushed into your residence by the cold. Fortunately, most spiders are harmless. Unfortunately, enough spiders here in Aiken are dangerous. With even just a small chance of a black widow, or brown recluse getting into your home this winter, you should be wary and consider investing in protection to keep pests out.
Prevention Tips For Pests
Hopefully, at this point, your home has not already been invaded by pests because the following tips are only effective at keeping unwanted guests out, not at getting rid of them. That being said, here are some general prevention tips for pests we recommend using before winter comes into full swing:
- Clean your yard of clutter and debris.
- Store firewood at least 30 feet from the exterior of your home.
- Make sure your gutters are in good working order.
- Eliminate sources of standing water around your property.
- Trim back tree branches and bushes from the exterior of your home.
- Repair damage to your home’s exterior and fill in gaps and cracks in your home’s foundation using a caulking gun.
- Limit the number of rooms you prepare and eat food in.
- Clean regularly and as messes happen.
- Fix leaks and address moisture build-up around your home.
- Store leftover food inside airtight Tupperware-type containers.
- Pick up and clean out pet food and water bowls before going to bed at night.
- Brush down cobwebs using a broom.
Why Professional Pest Control Is A Must
If all of the above steps seem like too much of a hassle, or you would like an even better way to keep your Spring Ridge home pest-free this winter, we have a solution for you here at Aiken Pest. With one of our general pest control plans, you and your family will get all the protection you need against annoying, dangerous, and destructive pests. Don’t wait to get your home the defenses it needs. Give us a call today to find out what top-tier pest control could mean for your home.