Winter wonderlands are great places for people to enjoy the season and all of the holidays that are celebrated during the winter. Ironically people’s homes are winter wonderlands for pests. Yes, pests are a year round problem that homeowners have to deal with, but during the winter is when pest invasions are on the rise. There might not be as many pests during the winter as there are in the spring, but the risk of pests wanting to get into homes is much higher. If you already have pest control services set up make sure you have them year round and not seasonally.
With snow and bare trees there aren't many places for pests to live outside during the winter.
The main reason pest invasions are on the rise in the winter is that pests are looking for a warm and dry place to stay. Some pests will actually hibernate within your home because of the warmth. While other pests will remain active once they’re gotten into a warm home. Having active pests inside your home during winter can be very dangerous as they can spread their diseases. Also while in your home pests can cause serious damage to wires, beams, and so forth.
The active pests that are inside a home will be looking for food, so keep all food stored properly and do not leave fruit out in fruit bowls. If pests walk on your countertops or on any food that’s left out they can transfer their bacteria etc. that they carry onto those surfaces and food. This is the most common way for people to physically suffer from pests, other than being bitten. Also pests will be leaving droppings which are contaminated with diseases and can cause harm to people. Keep an eye out for any droppings, especially in attics, basements, corners, etc. If you do find droppings call your local pest control service right away, as this is a sign of pest activity. If there are large amounts of droppings it can be hazardous to your health so do not try to remove the mess yourself, again call a professional out to your home.
During the winter it is best to maintain any preventative methods that you do throughout the year; by maintaining these methods in the winter your home will also be ready for the spring problems. The best way to think of your house, in order to protect it from pests, is that inside your home it is like spring year round. Even though pest problems are year round, spring is the highest peak of pest population indoors and outdoors. So if during the coldest time of year the home feels like spring you are sure to have some pests trying to get inside. Here are some of the most common winter pests by state:
- Alabama: wolf spider, house cricket, centipede, oriental cockroach, carpet beetle, house mouse, Norway rat, brown recluse spider, bed bug, lady bug.
- Alaska: wolf spider, carpet beetle, Norway rat, vole, bed bug, silverfish, earwig.
- Arizona: house cricket, oriental cockroach, house mouse, pavement ant, crazy ant, silverfish, killer bee, pack rat, earwig, bed bug.
- Arkansas: wolf spider, house cricket, centipede, oriental cockroach, carpet beetle, house mouse, bed bug, Norway rat, deer mouse, bed bug.
- California: wolf spider, house cricket, roof rat, oriental cockroach, house mouse, Norway rat, odorous house ant, bed bug, Argentine ant, earwig.
- Colorado: wolf spider, cluster fly, carpet beetle, box elder bug, house mouse, hobo spider, vole, clover mite, bed bug.
- Connecticut: wolf spider, cluster fly, carpet beetle, house mouse, bed bug, Norway rat.
- Delaware: wolf spider, carpet beetle, house mouse, Norway rat, bed bug.
- District of Columbia: wolf spider, bed bugs.
- Florida: wolf spider, American cockroach, roof rat, fire ant, centipede, house mouse, Norway rat, bed bug, crazy ant, ghost ant, phraoh ant.
- Georgia: wolf spider, house cricket, centipede, carpet beetle, house mouse, bed bugs, Norway rat, webbing cloth moth.
If you do not see the state you reside in on this list please check back as more states are still being added to our database. Also the database is still adding more and more pests, so if you have a problem with a pest and don’t see it listed in the database please continue to visit www.localpestcontrolservices.com as pests are continually being added.
Picture courtesy of www.creativecommons.org