There’s a chill in the air, and winter is not far off. If you’ve been dealing with mosquitoes, wasps, and other outdoor pests all summer and fall, you’re probably looking forward to the break. But winter does not mean perfect freedom from pests — it just means you need to focus on different ones. Certain pests, like the ones below, may start moving into your home as the weather turns cold.
German Cockroaches
Some bugs hibernate in the winter, but German cockroaches are not one of them. If these roaches can find a warm place, like the space between your home’s walls, they will keep reproducing all winter long. By the time spring comes, your home could be totally overrun by these disease-carrying pests.
Aside from actually seeing the cockroaches, signs you may have an infestation include:
- Unexplained oily, musty odor
- Droppings that look like coffee grounds along your walls or in the backs of cabinets
- Shed skins from roaches
Do not assume that roaches will die off on their own over the winter. Have an exterminator get rid of them now while their population is small.
Rats
Rats are pretty resilient creatures, but they need food and shelter to survive the winter. When the temperatures start dropping, they may move into your attic, basement, or crawlspace. Rats not only spread disease, but they can tear apart your insulation, terrorize your pets, and stain your walls and floors with their urine and feces.
Take some time to seal any holes in your foundation, secure your trash cans, and clean up debris in your yard this fall. Rats will be less attracted to your home and less able to enter.
Mice
Mice seek warm places during the winter too. They’re a bit harder to exclude from your home than rats since they can fit through holes the size of a pencil eraser.
Check your attic and basement for signs of mice since these are the areas they tend to invade first. Mouse droppings are about 1/4 inch long and are often seen along walls and in the backs of cabinets. You may see tiny mouse footprints on dirty floors, and you may hear mice scurrying or chewing at night.
Mice can chew through wires, PVC pipes, and wooden items, especially in the winter when other food and nesting materials are scarce. If you have dealt with mysterious electrical problems or tiny plumbing leaks, look into the possibility that mice are to blame.
Bats
If bats find their way into your home in the fall, they may hibernate in your attic or crawlspace throughout the winter. However, that does not mean they’re not a problem. The bats may occasionally wake up and roam your house in search of food and water. As they roam, they present a threat to you and your pets since they could be carrying rabies and other diseases.
If you hear or see bats in the winter, but they go quiet, do not assume they are gone. They have probably just gone back to sleep — which makes it easy for a pest control company to remove them.
Raccoons
Raccoons like to spend weeks on end curled up sleeping during the winter, although they are not true hibernators. As the weather starts to turn cold, they start searching for the perfect, cozy spot to nest. That perfect spot may be your home.
If you see a raccoon in your home, do not panic. Contact a wildlife removal expert to trap the raccoon since they carry rabies and could be dangerous. Then, take steps to ensure no more raccoons can make their way in. Patch holes in the attic or crawlspace walls, get rid of wood and brush piles, and seal up your trash bins.
Although the cold weather gives you a break from insects like mosquitoes and ants, you do have to be wary of the pests above. If you have been dealing with fall and winter invaders of any species, contact Environmental Services Pest Control, LLC. We proudly serve customers throughout Montgomery County and the surrounding areas.