Did you know you aren’t the only one who likes to hunker down and cozy up in your warm home during the winter months? As humans, we love to use the cold weather as an excuse to stay inside, reading a book under our favorite blanket with a cup of hot chocolate. While rodents and pests don’t have access to such luxuries, they still love to share the warmth and comfort of your home with you during the winter! When it comes to seeking warm shelter in the winter, pests are the ultimate moochers as they disrupt your life and don’t even help pay your heating bill. We want you to know when your home has been compromised in the winter by any sort of unwelcome guests. Here are some signs to look for to help you understand how pest behavior changes as winter arrives.
How Pest Behavior Changes In The Winter
While pests may not be as active about bothering you in the winter as they are in the summer, they are still there and will still cause damage. Pests are drawn to your home even more so during the winter because you can provide warmth, shelter and even food. As an insect or rodent, pests always have one goal in mind, no matter the season: survival. Pests may be more dormant in the winter but are still very much present within your home. It is especially important to deal with larger rodents such as mice and raccoons immediately as they get sick more easily in the winter. You do not want to be sharing your home with an infected rodent as they could pose a threat to the health of both you and your family.
Signs To Look For In Your Home According To The Type Of Winter Weather
The following describes how pests react to snow and ice in the winter and how their actions affect your and your home.
Ice
Ice of any kind along your roof line could potentially serve as an invite to certain types of pests in search of moisture. Insects such as centipedes and carpenter ants are all attracted to moisture and will go to great lengths to find some. Ice located on your roof acts as a cold insulator to the surrounding snowfall. This prevents the snow from completely melting and thus an abundance of moisture on your roof which can lead to water leaking into your ceiling and drywall. As this water enters your home, the insects will find a way to follow.
Snow
No rodent is especially built for the snow and every type of rodent species will likely scramble to get away from it. A rodent will go to great lengths to escape the cold and find refuge within your home. Follow these simple procedures to ensure your home is not inviting any kind of rodents such as mice, rats or raccoons into your home during a spell of snow. First, make sure your home has no obvious openings leading outside. This includes gaps under doors, cracks in foundation, openings in attics, etc. Seal these spaces off immediately. To have your home inspected for potential openings, contact Bug Out for some added peace of mind. Second, do not leave food out and properly store all opened bags and containers. Rodents have a super sense of smell which if triggered by food, they will follow for as long as it takes for them to reach the origin of the scent. Finally, eliminate as many moisture spots as possible from your home such as leaks and clogged drains. Rodents, while undesirable, are very savvy animals which will do whatever it takes to survive. More often than not, their means to survive the cold come at a cost to your home.
How Bug Out Can Help Pest Proof Your Home For The Winter
Don’t share your home this winter with any sort of unwanted guests with the help of Bug Out pest control. Our years of experience have made us experts on finding pest solutions before the infestation has even begun. If you do happen to already have a pest problem, call us immediately so we can help remove the issue as soon as possible.