Unfortunately, an end to summer doesn’t mean an end to pest control problems. Chilly, wintertime temperatures cause most pests to do two things: either die out or seek shelter. Whereas some pests will spend the winter inside trees or underground, others have found that they have much better access to shelter, food, and warmth by overwintering in human homes.
PESTS THAT OVERWINTER IN PEOPLE’S HOMES
Once temperatures start to drop, these pests head indoors as they search for food and a place to hunker down until spring.
1. Silverfish
Silverfish love warm, humid environments, so their favorite wintertime “hangouts” include bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements. While these insects aren’t dangerous, they earn their “pest” status due to the damage they cause. They eat paper and fabric and stain these materials with their waste.
2. Boxelder Bugs
Have you ever wondered why you see tons of boxelder bugs around your home during fall? Or why they will disappear for days on end, only to “instantly” reappear as soon as there’s a warm day during winter? This is because these bugs know that your insulated walls provide the perfect place to stay dormant during cold temperatures.
If you don’t get your home’s boxelder bug problem treated, you could find yourself with seemingly sporadic infestations, when in reality, the original infestation never actually went away.
3. Stink Bugs
These insects are infamous for releasing a strong, unpleasant odor when they’re scared or crushed. Similar to boxelder bugs, stink bugs are looking for a place to overwinter during the cold. While stink bugs aren’t harmful to people or pets, large infestations can be a problem.
4. Mice
Mice are pros at infiltrating homes. Able to squeeze through a hole no wider than a dime, they can enter a house through any number of gaps made for pipes, cables, ventilation, and more. Sometimes they can even slip underneath an exterior door if a sweep isn’t installed correctly.
A mouse infestation is a problem on multiple levels. Not only is it a nuisance, but it’s also a significant health hazard, especially if the mice have gotten into your food or air ducts. Mice can spread harmful and even life-threatening diseases to humans and other animals, so it’s essential to control an infestation as quickly as possible.
5. Ants
Nope, ants are not just a summertime problem. Ants will often seek shelter below homes in the crawl space. Your home’s warmth and the smell of food can draw them up through gaps in the floor and cause them to invade. Frequent targets of ant invasions are dirty dishes in the sink, unsealed food in the pantry, and pet food that’s been left out in a bowl overnight.
6. Cockroaches
Although roaches are infamous for their survival abilities, they are much better adapted to survive in warm, muggy environments than cold, dry ones. In fact, once temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, cockroaches can no longer reproduce. Instincts drive them to search for environments where they can thrive, such as a humid bathroom or a warm kitchen with crumbs on the floor.
EXPERT PEST CONTROL IN THE MIDWEST
At Spidexx Pest Control we’re proud to provide reliable pest control solutions that can help you feel at ease once again in your home. We offer service in:
We understand how stressful a pest issue can be. For this reason, Spidexx Pest Control offers fast response times and same-day appointments so that you can get the help you need as soon as possible.
For help with your home’s pest control problem, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or give us a call at (855) 925-3550.
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