Date Posted: December 10, 2014
Category: Pest Prevention Tips
'Tis the season to pull out the decorations and fill your halls and living spaces with twinkling lights, colorful ornaments, and festive socks. You will likely eat more in these three months than you will in any other three months for the rest of the year. Many of you will bake tasty pies and scrumptious turkeys, with a dozen different sides, and pig out on leftover treats for the days between feasting. You may even eat those treats as you sit around the fireplace, recalling memories, or singing songs. Sounds nice, doesn't it? It sounds nice to bugs and rodents too. Here is a short list of pests that will definitely enjoy the holidays--and why.
Cockroaches. Roaches go where the food is. They are particularly fond of sweet rotting things. If you spill a little sugar between the fridge and the counter, or if a cup of punch tips and drains into a hard-to-clean spot, you can be assured roaches don't have a problem getting into those spots. They can squeeze through a gap as little as ¼ of an inch--and what is worse, they prefer tight spaces. This makes them a pain in the kitchen during the holidays.
Rodents. Mice and rats like to live as close to their food source as they can. If you have a lot of smells coming from your kitchen, rodents will be happy to find a home in your kitchen wall voids. All of the crumbs, sprinkles, and sticky food lure them into the kitchen during the holidays, especially if they have already taken up residence in your attic or basement.
Spiders. If you store holiday decorations in a cold garage space or a shed, you could find a poisonous spider in one of your boxes. Wild spiders don't typically prefer to live inside a warm home during the winter, but a cool secluded spot appeals to them. Always check your decorations boxes before bringing them into the house, unless you store them in sealed, hard plastic containers.
Wood-chewing insects and spiders. When you bring holiday wood in to burn, be aware that many insects live in wood and lay their eggs in wood. If the wood goes from a cold environment to a warm environment, those insects might think it's springtime, and hatch. This is particularly bad if those pieces of woods contain wood-chewing bugs. Always check your wood for insect egg sacks, and burn it quickly.
Moths, beetles, and weevils. Pantry pests are especially troublesome during the holidays because that is when you buy a lot of pantry items. The number-one way moths, beetles, and weevils get into your pantry is by hitchhiking. Always check your items for holes, tears, rips, or gaps, before purchasing them.
The holidays are a wonderful time of year, and even more wonderful without bugs and rodents. If you do end up with an infestation, don't be afraid to give a professional pest controller a call. They aren't just exterminators. They will help you seal entry points and show you how to keep bugs out all year round. Pests love your home during the holidays, but you don't have to put out the welcome mat. Learn more today.
