Winter Pests And How To Get Rid Of Them

Pests aren’t only a problem in the summer. Lots of critters come crawling into human homes to escape the cold. What’s worse is they won’t go away in the spring. Pests that come into the home during the winter will stay all year long.

Here’s a list of winter pests you should look out for and how you can deal with them. Contact a Peterborough pest control company if you need help now.  

Mice

Mice are drawn to the warmth of our homes. To get inside, they sneak in via the wall vents and cracks in the foundation. They might also crawl under doors, if there is space. Infestations usually begin in the fall but may go unnoticed until mid-winter, when the colony has expanded. Mice are very quiet.

Typical signs include droppings on the floors and in kitchen cabinets, hearing a strange scratching sound in the walls, and spotting the occasional mouse. While they may seem harmless, it is important that you get rid of mice immediately. Mice spread germs and they will damage the insides of your walls.

Rats

Rats are similar to mice, only bigger and more destructive. They burrow underground, then get into the house by digging through the foundation. Roof rats, a rarer species, may come inside by climbing up the sides of the house and chewing through roof vents.

Rats usually burrow between walls, where they ruin the insulation with feces and urine. You might be able to hear them scurrying around at night and chewing at the walls. Rats are very dangerous pests that will only get significantly worse with time.

Ants

Most ants hibernate through the winter, but they might crawl indoors, instead. Carpenter ants, for example, nest in rotting wooden structures. They will sometimes make their way indoors and stay there throughout the winter.

If there are carpenter ants in your home, you might see them crawling around the windows, floors, and wooden structures of the kitchen or bathroom. You might also notice holes in the wall that are surrounded with sawdust. Ants are small but they can cause a lot of damage. Contact a professional for immediate removal.

Squirrels

Squirrels like to nest throughout the winter. In some cases, they will nest in the attic. Reach out to a wildlife removal company if you hear anything going on in the attic. Squirrels will dirty the area with feces and chew on everything around them, including electrical wires. The holes they put in the roof will also expose the attic to rain and snow, causing mold and rot.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches don’t care about the cold. These bugs will continue to be a problem year-round. If you have been struggling with an infestation, reach out to a pest control company immediately. Cockroaches won’t go away without professional treatment. They will continue to dirty your home and risk making you sick.

Bed Bugs

People are especially prone to getting bed bugs when they travel. These pests are common in hotels, BNBs, and shared laundry services. So, if you’re going out of town for the holidays, look out for bed bugs. Bed bugs thrive in indoor spaces where they are near humans.

Tips to Get Rid of Any Pest

Are there pests in your home right now? Here are 3 simple rules you should follow:

1. Hire a pest control professional

Call a pest control company right away. A technician can find the source of your problem and put an end to it quickly. Technicians use powerful pesticides and traps that get rid of pests much more efficiently. They can also provide preventative treatments, so this doesn’t happen again for a long time. Speak with the technician and follow their instructions carefully.

2. Remove sources of food

Deep clean your home and store food in sealed containers. This will force the pests in your home to consume the baits that the exterminator placed for them. Keep this up throughout the extermination process and continue to keep the house clean to help prevent a future infestation.

Bed bugs are an exception to this rule. If you are being treated for bed bugs, listen carefully to the technician’s instructions and follow them to ensure a smooth extermination.

3. Seal entry points and hiding spots

Professionals recommend excluding the home to trap pests indoors and prevent any more from coming inside. So, have door sweeps installed and secure your windows with screens. Cover wall vents and seal every crack you find in the walls of your home.

Cockroaches and mice like to hide in the darkest crevices of the home. Seal these off so there is nowhere for the pests to hide, especially if you live in a high-rise building. Using caulking or an expanding foam, seal the gaps between your kitchen cabinets, along the baseboards, and surrounding the plumbing under the sink.