Like other animals, common household pests look for a warm, safe place to overwinter that also provides a source of food and water. Your home is an ideal haven for these unwanted guests. These pests typically enter your home in the fall and set up their nests for the winter. As the weather turns colder, the following pests are the most likely to invade your house.
A nuisance year-round, cockroaches accelerate their migration indoors as the temperatures drop. Because these pests prefer dark, warm, moist locations, they are most commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms behind cabinets or under appliances. The most common sign of an infestation is the presence of more than one of these insects in your home.
Ants use tiny openings to gain access to your house. Although the scout ants probably slipped into your home unnoticed, you will eventually see a seemingly endless trail of ants indicating that your home is infested. Ant colonies typically set up their colonies in and around foundation walls and under concrete slab foundations as well as inside rotted window frames and behind kitchen cabinets.
Contrary to the belief that termites are warm weather pests, they are active year-round. As a result, you should not let your guard down during the winter. Termites have been known to swarm in the fall and reproduce until February. These destructive pests eat wood and hide inside walls, floors and ceilings. Look for damaged wood as well as termite droppings, mud tubes and shed wings after they swarm.
Rodents like rats, mice and squirrels can contaminate food and spread potentially life-threatening diseases. They can also cause an electrical fire by gnawing through the insulation around wiring. Rodents enter through small cracks and crevices in walls and roofs. You may see their droppings, gnawed food packages or hear scratching and scurrying sounds inside walls, the attic or crawl space.
Bedbugs can infest your home any time of year. Carried between locations inside clothing, luggage and boxes, they hide in your bedding and upholstery as well as the crevices of moldings and furniture. In addition to exercising precautions to avoid bringing these pests into your home, you should also check to determine whether your home is already infested. Common signs of an infestation include nocturnal bites, spots of blood on your mattress, tiny egg castings and shed skin.
Call a Professional
Many do-it-yourself remedies are ineffective and can actually make the problem worse. Our trained technicians can determine the cause of the infestation and provide a targeted solution. We can also provide tips that will help to keep pests out of your home. For a pest-free holiday, contact Hart Pest Control for a complimentary, no-obligation home inspection.