As cooler weather pushes us indoors, you will likely find pests venturing inside too, setting up their winter nests in your attic, basement, and window frames. Don’t wait for an infestation! Many winter pests can create serious issues in your home, but preventive measures and professional treatment will protect your home.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a potential problem any time of year but can become a more serious issue as we enter the holidays and people are traveling, staying in hotels, and staying at family members’ homes. Bed bugs are experts at sneaking into luggage and other bags and once inside your home, they will quickly multiply.
Protect yourself by checking bags carefully after traveling. These critters love to hide in crevices and can be hard to spot, as they are about the size of an apple seed. If you see evidence of bed bugs on your mattress or on couch cushions in your home, schedule professional treatment. Bed bugs are difficult to eradicate because you must kill the bugs and the eggs. Since females lay eggs daily and an adult bed bug can last several months without a blood meal, thorough extermination is critical.
Ants
Carpenter ants love to live in rotting wood, but they will move inside when the temperatures cool. They will nest in wood framing and insulation, and you often see them near a water source. An infestation can cause serious structural damage in your home as it will hollow out nesting areas in wood beams.
Protect yourself by keeping trees and shrubs trimmed back away from your home and by never storing firewood against your home. Carpenter ants will often access gaps in eaves and around plumbing by climbing along branches or debris against your home or overhanging your roof. Regular spraying by your exterminator will keep these pests at bay.
Mice
It is extremely difficult to keep mice out of your home, garage, or shed. These rodents like to live indoors and can get through extremely narrow gaps no thicker than a dime. They are rarely seen, scavenging for food bits at night or when no one is around.
Female mice can birth as many as 10 litters each year, so if you see a mouse or evidence of one (look for rod-shaped feces in basement corners or the attic), getting professional extermination is critical to avoid a serious infestation.
Cockroaches
In Northeast Ohio, the American cockroach is the most common type of roach you will find in your home, although this species does tend to enjoy the outdoors. Cooler weather drives these critters inside, usually near a water source with easy access to food and a warm moist place to lay eggs.
Protect yourself by keeping kitchens clean, free of spills, and tightly closing containers and trash cans, as roaches will eat just about anything. Cockroaches are nocturnal, so you may not see them until you have a serious problem. Regular treatment from your pest control professional is your best defense if you even suspect an infestation.
Even as fall turns to winter, many pests will continue to be a problem, especially inside your home. If you are concerned about a possible pest infestation, contact A&A Pest Control, or click here for more information about all of A&A’s pest control services for residential and commercial locations.