Winter is fast approaching, and with it will be bringing cooler temperatures. Most of us want to stay in our homes during these months and pests that live outside don’t differ in that regard. Although many animals hibernate during winter time, many others look for shelter in our Seattle area homes.
In preparation for the coming cold weather, you should not neglect pest defense. Not paying attention to pest control can lead to an influx of these pests into your home. Pests such as raccoons, skunks, mice, bats, squirrels and some insects should be considered a serious threat to most any Seattle home or business. Eagle Pest Eliminators is a leading Seattle pest control authority and we thought it a good idea to share information with both Seattle & Everett residential and commercial pest control customers about some of the common pests to look out for in the Seattle and Everett areas this Winter-2017:
Mice and other rodents
Most animals hibernate during winter, but there are still others, like rats, that do not. These rodents stay in the dark and left out places in your home. They can pester you by chewing through your drywall and biting your electrical wiring. This can lead to other serious threats, such as fires. Also, they may carry various diseases such as salmonella and Hantavirus.
Raccoons
Raccoons also do not hibernate. They will, in turn, look for holes in dark and warm places. These may be ground tunnels or brush mounds in your backyard. They might also choose to go inside trees that are hollow, or inside the pipes or attics. Similar to rats, raccoons can also destroy property, and they can be a carrier of rabies and roundworms.
Skunks
Skunks can be found under the benches of your porch, or you might find them inside dens. If they see you as a threat, it can become very dangerous. Because of this, you need to be extra careful if you happen to come across them. They release a smelly discharge, and this can blind you temporarily. They can also be carriers of rabies.
Ground squirrels
Ground squirrels also try to find warm places where they can stay during the winter. Just like rats, ground squirrels can also damage electrical lines that can cause fires.
Bats
Bats live in attics, loose boards, and shutters. They can often be found in dwelling in spaces inside your house where insects are also found. Be careful, because bats can also carry rabies and other diseases.
Moths
Even moths will find shelter in the winter months and try to be away from the cold. A moth is attracted to a house during winter because homes are usually well heated during this time. Another reason is that of the clothing found inside your house. Moths feed off cotton. They can survive by eating your clothes while enjoying the comfort of the heat in your house. Take note that even if you are successful in getting rid of the moths, they may leave larvae. Larvae also eat cotton and will eventually hatch into moths.
Spiders
Similar to rats, spiders are among the most common pests found inside a house. A lot of individuals are afraid of them. But the truth is, they are just trying to find a warm place to stay, particularly during winter.
Ants
Ants are another kind of insect that can be found in houses during the cool weather in winter. Different from spiders, you are most likely to find many ants in your home at once. The issue about this intrusion is that they can get into anything, especially food sources, like syrup bottles, jars, and others.
Carpet beetles
Carpet beetles enter the house through doors, windows or other openings. They may feed off of the carpet, cotton, or other materials used for clothing. They stay in carpets, and also lay their eggs there.
Prevention and pest control actions you can take
In order to stop such pests for entering and thriving in your home during this winter, you can practice some measures that can make your home less vulnerable.
- Clean up outside: As discussed, a lot of these pests stay in piles of leaves during winter so that they can stay warm. You need to constantly rake the leaves and make sure that the leaves and bushes do not mound up on your lawn.
- Clean the inside of your house: These pests can live from excess food and water. Make sure to scrub and clean the counters. Wipe them clean so that no crumbs are left for these pests to feed off from while you are not looking. Also, seal your rubbish bins tight. Do not leave them open when full.
- Check if there are holes and clearings from the outside of your house: These pests need to find a way to enter your house. Make sure to check if there are clearings at the base of your house. These can serve as entryways for pests. They can go through the basement and pipes underground. Holes that are close to the gutters can also be points of entry.
- Close holes and other possible points of entry. Seal any holes or open surfaces that might serve as points of entry for pests.
- Use lids that cannot be opened by animals. Close the lids of your garbage cans tightly. Keep them secured to stop raccoons or other animals from looking into your trash.
You may still have problems with pests even after doing your best to clean up, and with this, it may be time to seek professional help. Eagle Pest Eliminators delivers environment-friendly pest management services through their incorporated programs. This helps promote and contribute towards maintaining an environment that is clean and healthy. We do this all while giving the best pest control services for our clients.
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