Tips To Protect Your House Using Cold Weather Pest Control
The days are getting shorter which means less daylight, temperatures dropping, and the pesky autumn rain which means summer is fading away into fall. In the insect world, this means it’s time to find a place to live for the winter. The same way your home keeps you all snuggly, warm, and dry during these months it will keep these insects the same way. They will move their family in right under the nose of your own family. We are sure that you do things to winterize your home and your entire landscape, but there are a few things you may forget. However, first, let’s talk about the type of bugs that like to move in over the fall and winter months.
Rodent Pest Control In The Winter
Fall Time Pests
Wasps
Once the temperature really starts to fall below freezing wasps should become less of an issue, however, there are some that are able to survive quite comfortably inside of your warm home.
Make sure you do checks from time to time to make sure you don’t see any nests forming and keep an eye out for ways they can enter.
Wasps can be extremely aggressive and as you probably know they can be dangerous. If you do find them it’s best to call a pest control professional to take care of them for you. If you are capable you can build a trap to use until the pest control professionals arrive.
Stink Bugs
The most complained about fall pest from homeowners is by far the stink bug. Stink bugs haven’t been around in the United States for a long period of time, therefore, for the most part, the pest control industry doesn’t have a prevention plan.
Stink bugs fly and this makes it difficult to know where they will land and that makes it hard to apply products. Stink bugs are also very resilient pests.
Spiders
The fall season is when mature male spiders are more audacious because they are seeking a mate. Something you probably didn’t know and contrary to popular belief, spiders are not coming in because they are cold. Chances are the spider lives in your house the entire year.
Winter Time Pests
The start of winter is a great time to get an indoor pest control treatment as well as an exterior maintenance. These are pests that you will most likely see in the winter.
Cockroaches And Spiders
These are really indoor pests for the most part, so you won’t see them just in the winter.
Be sure to keep a tidy house, clean up after yourself, vacuum and mop regularly to get rid of any food residue.
Rodents
The winter time can be when you see the most rodents trying to find a warm shelter because they become desperate. Both rats and mice have the ability to fit into the tiniest of spaces because they can compress their rib cages. This makes it difficult to make your home 100% rodent-proof. Living next to an open field or the woods can make rodents a major problem.
Be sure to complete regular inspections around your house looking for potential entry points. If you are able to fill any crack or gap in your foundation.
Raccoons, Opossums, and Coyotes
During the winter there is less food for these larger animals which makes the likelihood of you receiving a visit much greater.
Be sure to never “free feed” your animals if you normally feed them outside and clean up after they are done. Remember to keep your trash cans closed tight and remove anything that might attract these animals.
Keep Fall And Winter Pests And Rodents Away
Here are a few tips to keep your home pest-proof over the cold fall and winter months:
Seal Your Home
The colder it gets outside the harder it will be for pests to find food, water, and shelter outdoors. This usually leads to a pest invasion of your home as they are looking for the resources they need to survive and have lost due to the cold weather. If you want to prevent this from happening you should try these things.
- Take care of the cracks in your house by caulking them in your bathroom and kitchen. Tiny cracks are a front door to tiny pests and can provide them the water they need to survive.
- Make sure your windows and your doors are updated or weatherproofed. You can do this by sealing off cracks around window ledges, edges, and door edges.
- Take some time to check your home for light leaks and if you find any seal them. Sometimes you will have to seal these from the exterior as gaps and cracks tend to open up. Sometimes pests and even larger rodents can enter this way.
Eliminate Pests Habitat
Do a thorough inspection of your home’s exterior to locate potential places these pests might find inhabitable. You will be looking for areas that offer insects plenty of food, moisture, and shelter. When we say shelter we mean a place to rest, hide from predators, and reproduce.
Look for places that pests might find easy ways to get into your house. If the insects can’t fly you should look for bridges that connect to your house and make sure they aren’t connected. Be sure to also check for any spot you think a pest might be able to hideout. Here are some measures you can take on the outside of your house to minimize your chances of a home pest invasion.
- Remove debris that is resting against your house. This includes compost piles, rocks, bricks, and old boards.
- Clean out all of your gutters and downspouts. If you have debris accumulated here it can be a great habitat for bugs.
- Be sure that your downspouts are directing all water away from your house.
- Take care of your autumn leaves by removing them away from your house, porch, or any other outside structures.
- Make sure there is no mulch resting against your house.
- Store your firewood outside away from the house. Preferably near the edge of your property.
- Control your plants so they are not touching the foundation of your house. This includes pruning trees that hang over gutters and rooflines and trimming shrubs or bushes that touch walls, a porch, or your deck.
- Replace your exterior lighting with yellow or sodium vapor lights.
- Keep your trashcans stored away from your house. Trash is an excellent way for insects to get food and can lead to vermin searching for food as well. Keep your trash can lids tightly sealed at all times.
Home Pest Control
Always consider using professionals and creating a barrier in and around your home. Pest prevention by Gunter Pest & Lawn raises your chances of not having Springtime pests way above your unprotected neighbors.
These are considered preventative measures that keep bugs out. This is easy, it’s cost effective and a great solution that offers solid pest & rodent protection. Making your inspections and sealing out the bugs, removing their habitat, and hiring a professional should become a yearly autumn chore. This will help reduce your chances of bugs when the weather warms up and help ensure structural upkeep.
Bugs that are living inside your house over winter are ensuring the next generation of pests. This is why pest control in the winter months makes it less likely to see active pests when spring begins.
Contact Gunter Pest & Lawn today if you have any questions about cold month pest control. Call us at 816-444-2847 or fill out our contact form.
