If You Believe ‘Winter Means No Pests’, You Need to Think Again

Types of Pests that Attack Homes in Winter

The cold and snow of the winter season don’t drive pests away from people’s homes. If you think you don’t have to worry about pests during wintertime, you need to think again. Pest control is an exercise which is required for homes, apartments and other properties throughout the year.

During winters, some pests and bugs go into hibernation. However, there are many other pests that look for a warm and comfortable place to hide so that they can avoid the freezing temperatures outside. In search of safety and food, the pests enter homes and apartments. In fact, pests can enter your home to hibernate as well. Therefore, it is important for you to remain aware of the different types of pests that may attach your home in winter as well as take appropriate control measures to keep them out. You don’t want them to invade you home, right?

At Activated Pest Solutions Inc, we encourage all homeowners to know about common winter pests and use various pest control techniques as well. Your home should remain free from pests all twelve months of the year.

So, What are Those Pests that You Should Watch Out for?

Given below are some of the common pests that you should expect in the winter season. Knowing about these types of pests will help you plan removal steps in advance and keep pests out.

Rats and House Mice:

One big issue about these rodents is that they are hard to notice until you have a big invasion. Rats and mice engage in scratching and gnawing activity during nighttime. However, there are various signs to find out if you have the presence of rodents in your home.

Being warm-blooded animals, rats and mice look for a place where they can keep themselves warm and comfortable. Attics and basements are common places where these rodents like to nest. House mice can enter a home through small openings in walls, roofing, doors etc. Another big reason to invite these winter pests to your home is clutter, mess and untidiness. If you suspect mice have entered your home, you should look for droppings that they leave behind. Though house mice are small in size, they can cause big problems – if you don’t take action at the right time. They like to chew on anything they can find. They can contaminate food items and pass on different types of diseases to those living in the house.

To avoid property damage and keep these pests out, you should first seal up all the cracks and openings from where they can enter your home or apartment. Get rid of all the clutter in your home and re-organize things in a better way. Eliminate the sources of food and water they’ll use to thrive on.

Ants:

Many homeowners find ants taking shelter from the cold weather under wood piles and inside cabinets. Just like humans, ants also need a place of warmth to nest, lay eggs and raise their nymphs.

You can expect any of these ants to enter your home during winter:

• Carpenter ants
• Pavement ants
• Little black ants

Each of these nests is known for their specific nesting and hibernation activity. As the name implies, carpenter ants in wooden structures. On the other hand, pavement and little black ants in walls and cracks. If it is wintertime and you have noticed some of these tiny critters walking here and there in your house, you should know that there’s an ants nest somewhere in the house. To remove these pests, you first need to cut off their access to food and water and then find their nests so that you can eliminate the entire nest using a pesticide.

Cockroaches:

There are various species of cockroaches. However, the most common among all is the species called the ‘German Cockroach’. There is no specific season for these pests to attack your home. Cockroaches can enter your home or apartment at any time of the year by hitchhiking to various items that you bring inside. The areas around the kitchen and the bathroom are the preferred habitat of these pests because it helps them easily access food and water.

Cockroaches are known to carry multiple types of bacteria and virus with them. If you consume food contaminated by these critters, you may run the risk of getting various kinds of allergies and diseases.

To keep cockroaches out of your home, you should keep your kitchen counters and all floors clean. Leaving food crumbs here and there will give cockroaches the incentive to enter and invade your home. Do vacuuming in your house on a regular basis and get rid of the trash every night before going to sleep. Most importantly, keep all areas of your kitchen and bathroom clean and tidy.

Stink Bugs:

These marmorated bugs don’t cause any damage to your property or carry bacteria or virus, but they can be a big trouble once they invade your home. They leave an odor which is very unpleasant.

Stink bugs are a common pest problem for homeowners who live near farmland. If you reside in the Northeast, you may have to deal with these pests during the winters. Lights attract stink bugs and these pests can make way into your home through small cracks and openings in windows and doors. To get rid of these bugs, you should close all the gaps and openings in your house and use the outside lights as little as possible. Keeping your home well-ventilated and getting rid of all moisture in your home are also good steps to keep stink bugs away.

Brown Recluse Spiders:

During the cold winter season, you need to look out for spiders. They can enter your house and spin webs in different areas as well as items of clothing kept in the house. The brown recluse spider is the most common species that you’ll spot in a house. These spiders like to live and spin webs in boxes, window moldings and stuff that you rarely use.

Do some preparation in advance so that you can keep spiders out of your house or apartment during the winter season. To keep these pests out, you should cut off the sources they use to travel inside. Have a closer look inside your house and see if there are trees and shrubs leaning against the wall. If they are, trim them off immediately so spiders can’t use them to enter your home. Put all the stuff and items that you seldom use in plastic containers. When interrupted, spiders can attack, bite and inject their poison into humans. If you have a big spider problem, seek the expert help of a pest control expert or pest eliminator service.

Bed Bugs:

You should expect bed bugs anytime of the year. Just like other seasons, these pests can invade your home even during the winters. Once you have these unwelcome visitors in your home, you’ll have a hard time getting rid of them. One major reason for the entry of bed bugs into your home is bringing infested bags or clothes inside. These pests feed and thrive on human blood. As soon as you spot bed bugs in any room of your house or apartment, you should take the necessary measures to kill them and eliminate them.

To keep your home free from bed bugs, you need to take a number of preventive steps. For example, you should be careful when purchasing and bringing secondhand furniture into your home. Before you carry these items inside, remember to check them closely for any kind of bed bugs infestation.

Likewise, get rid of clutter in your house. In fact, you should remove all the unnecessary items where bed bugs can hide. For effective bed bug treatment, you should seek the help of a pest control expert.

Are You Looking for a Winter Pest Control Service?

Activated Pest Solutions Inc offers effective pest control service for the cold months of winter as well as all throughout the year. If you have a pest infestation in your home, reach out to our office in and near Menifee, CA. Our pest control experts will examine all areas of your property for signs of infestation, monitor all pest activity and then come up with the most ideal solution for pest removal.