Winter Pests and Where to Find Them

Winter is a quiet time for pests. One reason for this is that many insects go into hibernation in the cold weather, huddling under the bark of trees, underground and in the warm crevices of human homes, waiting for warm temperatures to return. However, some pests remain active during the winter and will happily come into your home where they can stay cozy. The following are places you will almost certainly encounter pests during the winter.

Firewood

Firewood makes an excellent home for pests, and for some, a food source. When firewood is stored close to your house, mice may use the small warm crevices created by it to build homes. Meanwhile, both carpenter ants and termites will remain active in winter if they are kept warm enough, and bringing your firewood inside can be enough to wake these pests up (unless you burn it right away).

Try to store firewood away from the walls of your home and up off of the ground to discourage these pests from making their winter homes there. If you bring pieces of firewood inside during the winter, burn them as soon as possible rather than letting them sit inside.

Garbage Cans

Mice, rats and cockroaches will be drawn to the smell of garbage cans, particularly when they are set near the house. Though cockroaches usually hibernate in the colder months, they will remain active if they find a warm enough environment. Rodents and roaches will take the smell of garbage as a sign that your home contains food and move from the trash to inside, if they possibly can.

Keep garbage cans indoors as empty as possible and store garbage outside and away from the house to avoid attracting these hungry critters.

Cardboard Boxes

Some spider species hibernate in winter, but other species will actively make their way into your home in order to stay warm. Spiders’ blood matches the temperature they are surrounded by, so when spiders notice the weather getting colder they will often look for somewhere warmer to live in order to stay more comfortable.

Spiders seem to love wood-based products and can often be found stowing away inside cardboard boxes. Consider getting plastic boxes with tight fitting lids to replace any plastic storage boxes you may have.

Attics

Squirrels and beetles both enjoy attic space during the winter. Beetles mainly stay in attics and walls of houses during winter as a safe place to hibernate and probably won’t bother you. However, if a squirrel has made your home the location of his winter stash of food, you may hear him (or her) scampering and munching incessantly above your head.

If you have squirrels – or any wildlife in your attic – call wildlife control. If you live in Pennsylvania and any other pests who have decided to move in with you this winter against your wishes, you can call Green Pest today to get $50 off your first pest control treatment.