Most Common Winter Pests in Old Homes: In the summer, old homes are just one of the many appealing places to pests due to nature’s readily available sources of food, water, shelter, and warmth. However, as winter sets in, these prime locations begin to decline. One desirable option for winter pests is your home; most of them make themselves at home in your house without an invitation.
In this article, we will look at the most common winter pests to look out for in old homes and how to prevent infestation.
Top 6 Winter Pests To Watch Out For
1. Rats and house mice
Being warm-blooded animals, rats and house mice cannot tolerate the cold weather outside.
For this reason, they desperately enter old homes seeking shelter, food, and warmth. They’ll nest in old cabinets, wall voids, ceilings, and sheds.
Typically, they nest in secluded and dark areas and can create holes to live between walls. They both carry diseases with their bites and wastes and can also chew wiring, causing damage and fire risk.
2. Cockroaches
Cockroaches don’t pick a season to invade a home, particularly German ones. They sneak anytime looking for food sources. They prefer to live in moist and water areas, making your kitchen and bathroom their ideal habitat. They can also hitch their stay inside grocery bags and boxes.
3. Bed bugs
These unexpected visitors hitch their ride in clothes, purses, or bags, allowing them to be easily transferred from one room to the next. They perfectly hide under bed covers and between cloth seams. Their bites are itchy, uncomfortable, and painful and feed on human blood.
4. Raccoons
These intelligent creatures find their way into crawl spaces, chimneys, and attics in search of denning sites and are likely to spend most of their time there. They dig through your garbage, seeking food.
5. Brown Recluse spiders
Did you know that brown recluse spiders can survive several months without eating and can bite humans if threatened? They like to spin their webs in quiet places such as inside piles of clothing, closet floors, attics, basements, crawl spaces, or the underside of a porch.
6. Ants
During winter, ants are likely to hibernate underground, making them less active outside. However, if they invade your home, they feel a sense of security and warmth, and soon, they start their foraging behavior. They set up their nests around moisture-rich areas such as bathroom sinks or dishwashers.
Tips for Winter Pests Prevention
- Seal your home up tight to prevent pest entry.
- Install a cap or mesh cover over chimneys.
- Eliminate sources of moisture in the basement and crawl places.
- Regularly inspect your home for pest invasion.
- Practice proper sanitation, keep your storage organized and dispose of garbage regularly.
Signs Your Home Is About To Be Invaded By Winter Pests
- Scratching and squeaking inside walls or closets
- Damaged piping or wiring
- Pests droppings or little pellets near your home.
- Shredded fibers and papers, including fabric holes, scratches, or stains
- Weak floors and peeling paint
Rid Your Home Of Unwanted Guests
Many winter pests invade homes to survive the cold season and may stay in your home for months, if not years. At Shumaker’s animal control, we can effectively and professionally help you kick out these bothersome guests. We are a professional animal control company skilled in removing and trapping pests and relocating them to where they belong. Visit our website today to learn more about our services, or fill out our contact form, and we’ll get in touch. Alternatively, you can call us at 443-854-8072. We are ready to help you.
