Winter Pests To Watch Out For

Winter Pests To Watch Out For

As the cold weather comes rolling in, you might wonder where all the pests you were concerned about during the summer and fall months wandered off to. Many people assume bugs die off or go into hibernation. The truth is that a lot of insects are still creeping and crawling throughout the winter months. Here are some winter pests to watch out for this coming season.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are incredibly hearty little critters. They can withstand cold and heat very well, which is part of the reason why they’re so difficult to control. Many bed bugs migrate indoors during winter because our homes provide shelter, warmth, and food for them during the winter months.

Tips To Help Keep These Winter Pests Out of Your Home

• When traveling during the holidays, avoid putting your clothing and luggage directly on the beds of hotels and B&Bs.
• Use the metal luggage racks mosts hotels provide to keep your luggage from coming into contact with infested bedding – and providing a mode of transportation of bed bugs back into your home.
• Inspect your room before settling in for signs of bed bugs. Pull back the covers of the bed and check in and around the linens and pillows. Look in the seams and sides of the mattress, box spring, and frame, then check behind the headboard. Check under, in, and around nightstands and lamps beside the bed and in the pleats of upholstered furniture and drapes.
• Quarantine your luggage outside in the garage and inspect it thoroughly before bringing it back inside of your home.

Roaches

Roaches are one of the most adaptable creatures in the world, which is why they’ve been around for millions of years. As long as they have a warm and moist habitat, cockroaches can survive year-round throughout various weather conditions.

The German Cockroach, one of the most common pests you’ll find here in the Miami Valley, prefers the humid environments of home bathrooms and kitchens – which offer easy food sources and plenty of moisture.

Tips To Help Keep These Winter Pests Out of Your Home

• Don’t wait until spring to start cleaning! Make sure the inside and outside of your home is well kept throughout the winter months.
• Remove leaf piles, woodpiles, and overgrown vegetation.
• Secure trash can lids as you go in and out of your home dealing with Thanksgiving and other holiday feasts to avoid making an all-you-can-eat roach buffet in your garbage.
• Be mindful of other food sources around your home. Make sure leftovers and pantry items are kept in tightly sealed containers.

Termites

Different types of termites will do different things in the winter months. In colder parts of Ohio, subterranean termites will dig down further to stay warm. Other types of termites, like dry wood termites, will look for dry wood for shelter – including the wood frames of our homes, where they can remain active throughout the entire year.

Tips To Help Keep These Winter Pests Out of Your Home

• Avoid keeping woodpiles directly against the foundation of your home
• Remove excess vegetation and leafs that are directly against the outside of your home to remove sources of shelter and moisture for termites who may be working to make their way into your home.

Get Help Against Winter Pests

Pests don’t just disappear in the winter so be sure to continue to pest-proof your home. If you’ve found yourself with termites, bed bugs, or roaches hunkering down in your home, call the expert exterminators at go2-pros to get them out. Contact us today for a free online quote!