How-To Prevent Winter Pests
In the fall and winter, numerous pests seek the warmth of our homes to survive the harsh weather. In the scarcity of winter, pests also seek to take advantage of the readily available food and water in the home. Pests such as ladybugs, stinkbugs, flies, crickets, mice and rats, squirrels and raccoons may all take shelter in your home, vehicle, or garage, and settle in for the long haul. Although we may notice their presence less in the winter, Legacy Pest Control understands that this is actually when it becomes most important to watch out for pests and prevent an infestation.
Common Winter Pests
- Mice: Field mice are often chased indoors by the cool weather in search of a warm, dry place to hole up for the winter. It is especially common to find them in your attic or basement, where few people venture and there is good nesting material, or your kitchen, where food and water are plentiful. Unfortunately, mice can carry disease as well as chew through electrical wire. Keep your eye out for signs of their passage, including chewed toilet tissue and paper towels and mouse droppings.
- Cockroaches: Cockroaches often enter the home on (or within!) grocery bags and boxes, and once they’ve settled in, it’s next to impossible to get them to leave their cozy domicile. Cockroaches are some of the nastier pests, carrying a wide array of bacterial infections and stirring up allergens in the home. Watch for them under appliances and in the cabinet under your sink.
- Spiders: Most spiders are harmless – except for whatever you may knock over when you see one rappelling down from the ceiling – but a few, such as the brown recluse spider, are very poisonous. Like mice, spiders generally hide out away from people, in attics and basements, but you may also find them in cardboard boxes or around window-moldings, and around your summer clothing or shoes. Spiders may also be brought into the home by hitching a ride on firewood.
- Raccoons: Raccoons are incredibly clever creatures who will go to great lengths to find food. Though most raccoons avoid human beings, sick animals may enter homes through the chimney or make a home in a disused attic.
- Stinkbugs: Stinkbugs are an incredible nuisance: loud, unattractive, and once accidentally stepped on (or purposely swatted) the victim will remember the stench ever after. They flock to homes in droves as temperatures drop.
Steps to Prevent Winter Pests
There are several simple steps you can take in order to ensure that your home stays pest free.
Outdoor Winter Pest Control Tips
- Go around your house and look for cracks or crevices that mice and insects can sneak through to escape the colder winter temperatures. Mice can slip through holes the size of a dime, so be thorough. Place caulk around any cracks in your foundation, and fill holes up with steel wool. Don’t forget the holes that may be around pipes or electrical wire entry or exit into your home.
- Clean out your gutters regularly. Leaves and other yard debris make great nesting material for mice, rats, and squirrels. By the same token, keep your yard clean by raking leaves and keeping your grass low.
- Keep trees and shrubs pruned around your home to avoid insects climbing from the foliage and onto your roof or through your windows.
- Store your trash well away from your home in an enclosure; make sure that your trash can lids seal well.
Indoor Winter Pest Control Tips
- Clear out your attic or basement, or hire a team to help you get it done. Lots of cardboard boxes sitting around can become a home for pests of all kinds, and mice and rats like to hide or around boxes or the tissue wrapping meant to keep valuables safe.
- Keep your home clean and free of crumbs and clutter.
- Keep clothing and shoes that you do not often use in sealed containers; this will prevent bugs and spiders from using them as nests, moths from eating the material, and mice from using it as nesting.
In Need of Winter Pest Control Services in Utah? Contact Legacy Pest Control!
If you’ve got a pest problem and want to make your home your own again, contact Legacy Pest Control. We handle both residential and commercial pest control in the Ogden, Utah area, and offer recurring services every three months to ensure that your property is pest-free. Call 801-779-3131 to take action and make sure that your home or property is safe for yourself, your family, and your guests today! Book now in order to ensure a pest-free home in time for the holidays!
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