It is winter here in New Jersey, but we don’t have to tell you that. Snow has already fallen, Christmas has already come and gone, and warmth has never been more of a necessity. Standing outside this time of year, it can be hard to imagine any living pests trying to get into your home. Surely they would have already found somewhere to hide or hibernate through the winter months by now, right? Surprisingly, there are still a few pests that have found a way to survive the winter chills and would like nothing more than to invade your New Jersey home.
Cockroaches
The interesting thing about cockroaches is that they do not need to go out into the cold to get into your home. If they have already infested one of the homes on your block, they can use sewer lines and utility piping to home hop into yours.
Rodents
Just like humans, rodents can get cold, and even die from low temperatures. At this point in winter, rodents are most likely using shelter they have found out in the wild to try to stay warm. This does not mean, however, that they do not want to get into your home. Your home is the warmest, safest, and most food-filled place around. If they can find a way in, you can be sure they will invade.
Spiders
Spiders are built with a natural form of antifreeze inside their bodies. This keeps them alive through very cold winter months. It does not, however, provide for their hunger. At this point in the year, most insects that spiders commonly feed on have either died off or fled to safety within our warm homes. This is what drives spiders to invade.
As we mentioned with spiders, there are many other pests that may have already gotten into your home before the weather got cold. The thing that makes most of these pests different from cockroaches, rodents, and spiders, however, is that they only plan on staying in your home until winter ends. Once the weather heats back up, many overwintering pests will leave, but cockroaches, rodents, and spiders will stay. Where else are these pests going to find better shelter, easier-to-scavenge food or more available water sources.
We should also mention that many pests use homes for egg-laying. The problem with this is that these eggs will all hatch as spring arrives, potentially filling your home with confused baby bugs.
How You Can Keep Pests Out Of Your Home
It is never too late to pest-proof your home. With just a bit of time and some changes in habit, you should be able to make your home less attractive and accessible to potential home invaders. Here are some things we recommend.
- Make sure your interior and exterior trashcans have tight-fitting lids so pests cannot get into them.
- Use a caulking gun and some steel mesh to fill in small gaps, cracks, and holes in your home’s exterior foundation.
- Repair any damage to your home’s exterior that might allow pests a way inside.
- Trim back tree branches and bushes at least 10 feet from your exterior walls so rodents cannot use them to get onto or on top of your home.
- Pick up and clean out your pet’s food and water bowls before going to bed each night.
- Clean your home thoroughly and regularly. The less food and drink messes there are, the less invading pests will be able to sustain themselves, and the more likely they will be to leave.
- Store leftover foods in sealed plastic, glass, or metal containers so that pests cannot gain access to them.
- Repackage foods stored in cardboard boxes or plastic bags into more durable sealed containers.
The Most Effective Way To Deal With Winter Pests
Whether you are looking for a better way to pest-proof your home, or for assistance in getting rid of a current pest problem, we have your answer here at Arrow Pest Control. Our team of highly trained pest technicians has the tools and experience needed to handle any pest problem you or your home is up against.
It is never a bad time to invest in professional year-round pest control. Reach out to us today to find your best pest solution.
