Why You Shouldn't Skip Pest Control Treatments Through The Winter Months
Many homeowners maintain quarterly pest control treatments through the spring, summer, and fall, but opt to skip winter treatment. They believe that, with the cold weather winter brings, the pests are all dormant, so there's no need. The truth is, you need pest control treatment just as much during the winter months as you do the rest of the year. Here are some of the most common pest issues you might encounter during the winter.
Rodents
Squirrels, rats, and the like are problematic enough when they run rampant through the warmer seasons, but winter poses a unique situation for these pests. Just like you, they want to be somewhere warm. That leads them to start looking for ways inside your home, where they can nest in warmth and comfort.
Since they typically choose attics or other out-of-the-way spaces, it might not seem like a huge deal. In fact, rodents are a major concern even in the winter. They are still active, and that means you're still going to risk chewing damage to your home, including your insulation, wood structure, and electrical wires. Further, their excrement can pose an allergy or other health hazard.
Christmas Tree Bugs
If you like to invest in a live Christmas tree each year, you could be unwittingly bringing pests into your home. Trees are a natural insect habitat, and while most Christmas tree farms treat their trees to minimize pest infestations, they cannot be completely avoided.
You can bring all sorts of insects into your home on that live tree, including things like mites, aphids, spiders, bark beetles, and sawflies. The best way to avoid this is to leave your tree in the garage for a couple of days after you get it home. That way, any pests that do survive on it will starve and die. You can also sprinkle the tree with some diatomaceous earth to help encourage the process.
Spiders
As the weather starts to get cold, you probably notice more spiders indoors. That's because they are looking to escape the cold and ride the winter out somewhere warm. While many of the common house spiders are actually beneficial, because they eat other insects, there are some that are far more troublesome, like the brown recluse. It's bite can cause necrosis in the bite area. Since most homeowners cannot easily identify problematic spiders from general house spiders, it's best to just keep them all out.
As you can see, it is just as important to maintain your pest control treatments throughout the winter months. Don't let the cold weather trick you into believing that you can skip it, because you might find yourself with a troublesome infestation.