Many homeowners don’t realize it, but winter is actually a major pest season. You may not have mosquitoes and flies buzzing around your head these days. But that doesn’t mean that all insects have left us for good. Just like the warmer months, pest control in Maine is essential during the winter season as well.
Several pests that commonly annoy us in the warmer months go dormant when winter arrives. However, that doesn’t apply to all of them. Many familiar pests of summer, such as rodents and cockroaches, are still very active in the cold months too.
In fact, the cold weather in Maine is known to lead to an increase in rodent activity in residential properties. Plus, the cold season brings its own set of pests and other insects that can easily find a way into your home. If you don’t stay watchful of their presence, they can hide and breed in the nook and crannies of your home. And before you know it, you have an infestation at your hands.
Here’s a list of five reasons why homeowners need pest control in Maine during winter. Remember to never let your guard down and call professional pest exterminators if tiny invaders have compromised the safety and comfort of your home.
Rats and Mice Are Moving Around
While some rodents hibernate through the winter, other species, including mice and rats, do not sleep through it at all. They are actively foraging for food and looking for a cozy shelter. Remember that rodents can fit in the narrowest of spaces. Small gaps and tiny openings that most homeowners perceive as harmless are usually wide enough to let rodents into the house. While they may or may not take up permanent residence at your place, mice and rats are inclined to cause household damage. They gnaw on rubber cables and electric wires, creating fire hazards. They can even eat away wood beams and chew up mattresses, books, and other important items that can be expensive to replace or repair.
Bugs May Be Brewing Trouble
Wood eating bugs and insects, such as termites and carpenter ants, can thrive in your home during winter. This is because the weather is always pleasant inside, and more importantly because there is plenty of food available.
These pests are notorious for causing structural damages. They are a threat to every property as they can multiply incredibly fast. It is said that an adult ant can lay up to 800 eggs per day. And the larvae can mature in just eight to ten days!
The biggest problem with most wood-destroying insects like ants is that it’s hard to tell whether you have an infestation until it’s too late.
If you frequently spot carpenter ants in your home, call our pest control company serving Auburn, Maine, right away. It might be a sign that there’s an entire colony of these annoying crawlers flourishing under the floorboards or behind the walls.
Sealing the Home is Serious Stuff
Sealing the home is of the utmost importance in keeping your place pest-free during winter. However, unless you are really skilled at DIY household repairs, the job can be easier said than done. It’s an extensive task that can take up a lot of your time. If you accidentally miss sealing any opening, all your efforts can go down the drain.
Smart homeowners leave this stuff to professional pest exterminators in Maine for many reasons. With years of experience in the field, they can easily identify all potential entry points for pests on your property and close them effectively. From siding trim and foundation to attic vents, pipes, and utilities leading into the house, they thoroughly inspect all areas where insects can find a way in.
It’s best to get this done in early winter so that you can enjoy your holidays with ease.
Fight Fall Foragers
We have talked about preventing the fall crawl before. If you didn’t take proper measures to keep pests out during the fall season, there’s a fair chance some annoying creatures have already taken shelter in your home. They might be hiding in the basement, crawl space, attic vents, or elsewhere out of plain sight. You are unlikely to be aware of their presence until the temperatures start rising again.
As spring approaches, these insects become active again, which means you will find yourself having to share your living space with these unwelcome, annoying guests.
Grass flies, spiders, and ladybugs are some of the most common insects notorious for stirring trouble indoors during late winter and early spring.
As a reliable pest control company serving Lewiston, Maine, and the surrounding areas, we also offer preventive treatment plans. These are designed to keep all pests at bay and thus, keep homeowners from facing such problems down the road.
Reduce the Risk of Return of Irksome Insects
As we mentioned above, several species of insects sleep through the cold weather months for survival. This means when you near the end of the winter season, you should expect to reemerge.
However, you can save yourself the headache of dealing with the return of insects that you just drove out last season, with one simple step.
Get rid of the things that prompt them to return.
For example, cleaning cobwebs and vacuuming your entire home can make a place less favorable for spiders. Remove as much clutter as you can and keep your house neat and tidy at all times. This eliminates the hiding spots for rodents and other pests.
Installing mesh screens, storm windows, door sweeps, and the likes can help you further strengthen your defenses against the return of spring and summertime pests.
If you need professional help in winterizing your home against pests or think you might have an infestation in your place, contact Ants Plus Pest Control today.