For some people, winter is a time to stay home and enjoy a staycation. For others, it’s time to move to a warmer location and enjoy a vacation. Many pests fall into this second category. But unlike people, they don’t need to move to Florida to find warmth—they only need to sneak into your home.
What is overwintering?
Pests have a lot of different ways to get through the cold months of winter. Some insects lay eggs before they die off from the cold. Others find ways to stay warm and continue their normal activity. Still others overwinter. This is a kind of hibernation which allows them to live through the cold months and resume activity come spring. It’s called diapause and involves insects entering a dormant state that allows them to outlast the cold.
Insects that don’t overwinter:
Many insects don’t overwinter. They lay eggs that will survive until spring, but the mature adults die when the weather drops. Some insects that fall into this category are crickets and cockroaches. Other insects, like some moths and stinging insects, will survive as larvae or pupae through the winter.
Insects that do overwinter:
Female mosquitoes overwinter, though the males die when the cold hits. Other pests that overwinter are some types of spiders, as well as stink bugs. During the fall it’s important to watch for these pests. They often overwinter inside walls. Come spring, hundreds of bugs could emerge from their diapause and invade your home.
Insects that stay active year-round:
With the benefit of indoor climate control, some pests are able to survive all year without going into hibernation mode. Some ants and termites build their nests below the frost line, underground. This allows them to hideout until spring. Other ants survive through the winter by living in a home. Cockroaches and bed bugs are other pests that can continue to remain active throughout the cold by living inside a home. Other insects, like ticks and some spiders, may be hardy enough to survive the winter, even outdoors, and can continue being active through the winter.
Preventing winter pests
To prevent pests from overwintering in your home, protect your house from entry during the fall. Seal cracks and holes in the exterior of your house, check for tears or holes in screens, add door stops to prevent entry. You should also keep from attracting pests year-round by keeping your house, especially your kitchen, clean. Never leave dishes sitting out overnight, and clean food messes promptly.
If you aren’t sure how to protect your home, Arrow Pest Control can come by for an inspection. We’ll help you identify access points or factors that may be attracting pests. We also have preventative treatments for many types of pests. Plus, if you already have a pest problem, the technicians at Arrow Pest Control can help. We have experience with all kinds of pests, and we know how to stop pests all year, including during the winter. Don’t wait any longer, we’ll get your house back to normal so you can go back to enjoying the winter.
