Arizona homeowners often let their guard down when it starts to cool during the winter months believing that pests are only an issue during the hot Yuma summers, but nothing could be further from the truth.
When winter arrives, some pests hibernate, while others enter homes seeking food and warmth. If you are looking to protect your home from unwanted guests, here are 7 pests to look out for in winter:
Bed bugs can be a problem at just about any time of the year since they can hitchhike at any point. However, the probability of encountering these insects is much higher in the winter since it is the perfect time for a vacation.
If you’re planning a winter vacation, don’t forget to inspect your hotel room for possible bed bugs. You should also examine your clothes and luggage before your return at home to prevent an infestation by any potential stowaways.
Bed bugs are usually very difficult to eliminate, and you will have to come up with a comprehensive plan if you want to successfully get them out of your house. That includes washing all the fabric throughout your home and perhaps scheduling a preventative service call with a pest control service.
Spiders can invade your Yuma house at just about any time of the year, but the more dangerous spiders may choose to seek refuge indoors during the winter. While spiders tend to be less active during winter, they love heading to warmer places when it is cold outside.
Spiders such as the black widow and the brown recluse usually hide out in dark, low-traffic areas such as window moldings, cardboard storage boxes, basements, and many others.
To get rid of spiders from your home, you first need to identify the species that’s currently in your home. Once that is done, you can come up with a plan for getting rid of them once all factors have been considered. You should strongly consider hiring a pest control service to help with a spider infestation.
Roof Rats are tiny rodents capable of slipping through openings the size of a dime. Roof rats love nesting in dark, secluded areas like your roof; and can become a major headache very quickly. They can cause serious damage to property by chewing through wires or drywall and may cause illness by contaminating food. Their droppings can spread deadly disease like the plague.
The best way to get rid of these little intruders is by sealing up any potential openings and calling professional exterminators.
Ants love enjoying the warmth of your home in winter, particularly carpenter ants. However, if you see ants, there is likely an established nest inside the house. Carpenter ants nest in wood, including windows and doors. Pavement ants as well as little black ants love nesting in cracks around the foundation as well as in walls.
Ants hibernate in their nests during winter. If you find a few ants walking out in the open when there’s a warm stretch in the winter, you should know that there’s probably a nest in your home. To get rid of ants, you should first find the nest and preferably call ant control experts to help you get rid of them.
Termites love feeding off wooden structures and timbers, which is why you will commonly find them in the walls of untreated homes. During the colder season, termites are particularly drawn to your house if there are high levels of moisture such as dripping air conditioner overflows, leaking showers, and tap or pipe leakages.
To stop a devastating termite infestation, you should consider pretreating your home.
Cockroaches generally prefer living in small areas close to food and moisture, which is why human homes make the ideal habitat. Cockroaches hitchhike indoors via boxes, grocery bags, and secondhand appliances and are commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms.
Cockroaches, however, can contaminate food sources and spread bacteria and other pathogens. They are also known to trigger allergies and exacerbate asthma symptoms, particularly in children.
Storing food in securely sealed containers and keeping your kitchen clean are some of the best ways to deter cockroaches from getting into your house.
Wildlife such as racoons and squirrels typically don’t hibernate during winter. They prefer instead to hide in warm places attics as it gets cold outside. When they do, they can rip up insulation, tear holes in soffits, and generally make a mess that can attract other unpleasant pests.
Storing trashcans in sealed areas such as a locked shed and using animal-proof lids if you are keeping your trashcans indoors are all great ways to keep wildlife out of your home. Other measures include installing a mesh cover over chimneys and other exposed vents and repairing any lose shingles or siding to prevent entry.
Pests such as insects, rodents, and wildlife invade Yuma homes every winter. They need a place to survive until spring and can even choose to stay in your home even after seasons change. If they have food and a protective shelter, there’s no motivation for them to leave. So, ensure that they lack both and they will definitely leave.