It’s a common assumption that the warmer months are the only time you really need to worry about pests. Many people don’t see as many bugs crawling or flying around in the wintertime, and often become lax in their pest management routines. While some pests over-winter remain in a state of suspended animation/go dormant or die that doesn’t mean you don’t need a good pest control plan for the cold-weather months. In fact, many pests, like mice and rats, are just as prevalent in the winter, but we don’t notice them because they take refuge in our walls and basements. There are more active pests than you might think in the winter months, and it’s important not to get too complacent when it comes to securing your home, apartment, or business.
Important for Spring Prevention
Many believe that “good pest control” means hiring a company to spray some pesticides every once in a while, and praying for the best. A truly effective, thorough pest control program is all about preventing the problem from arising in the first place.
Pests don’t like the cold any more than humans do, and their instinct is to seek warmth. In the winter, they’re more likely to find food and water inside than outside, so they are naturally inclined to take refuge in warm, cozy spaces. Although hidden from view, and therefore not as obvious of a problem, pests and insects can still be found in your walls, basements, and crawlspaces, simply biding their time until spring. And when the weather warms up, you’ll find yourself with a real pest problem on your hands. It’s common for spiders, mice, and insects to make sudden appearances at the start of spring—and usually, it affects those who haven’t maintained a winter pest control program.
To avoid this, it’s a good idea to invest in a professional pre-winter inspection. Bain’s pest control technicians are trained in helping you manage your winter pest problem. Our technicians will check for potential entry points for pests, and conduct thorough inspections to keep those winter pests from using your house as a nesting space.
Don’t be Deceived by the Lack of Flying Insects
When we think of summer, we think of mosquitos, flies, bees and other insects flying around our porches, and quickly closing the door so they don’t get inside. Well, we might not have to worry about bees or flies trying to come into our homes, but we do need to be watchful for spiders, mice, and other rodents during the winter months. It’s particularly important to keep rodents out of our living spaces, as they can carry diseases like salmonella and hantavirus. While often more innocuous, spider-bites also carry their own dangers, and they can multiply and lay eggs extremely quickly.
How a Pest Control Company Can Help
The best way to combat winter pests is by hiring professional technicians. At Bain, we’ve been managing New England’s winter pest problem for over 92 years, and our technicians are schooled in a variety of methods to curb winter pest problems, or keep them from materializing in the first place. Here are a few of the methods we rely on at Bain:
Sealing and Baiting: One of the most important ways we can help is by sealing off “hot spots”, to cut off potential points-of-entry. We will also set up traps with bait in select locations throughout your house, to ensure that any intruders who do manage to enter your home are quickly caught. Even if you’re not actively struggling with an infestation, these are great preventative methods which we highly recommend, especially during the winter months.
Termite Inspections: Many homeowners never have an issue with termites, but when it does arise, the infestation can be truly crippling to a home’s infrastructure. Unfortunately, many homeowners won’t become aware of their termite problem until it’s been going on for quite a while. Our technicians are trained to spot the signs of a termite infestation and recommend treatment before it gets out-of-hand.
Exterior Treatments: To prevent against the ants, spiders, earwigss, and centipedes that can often sneak into your home through small cracks, we provide exterior home treatments in the Spring, Summer and Fall. This includes treating around common entry points and eliminating any avenue for pests to enter your home.
Thorough Home Inspections: Oftentimes, pests breed in food cabinets and pantries, feeding off stored food like cereals, flour, cornmeal, and so forth. We will do a thorough inspection of your pantries, and identify any food source that might be attracting unwanted visitors. Having an infestation in your food cabinets can be unpleasant to say the least, so curbing the issue before it starts or spreads is the best strategy.
We serve homes and businesses all over New England, so we understand how to manage your winter pest problem. If you suspect you have an infestation this winter, or if you’d like to take preventative steps to achieve greater peace-of-mind come spring, reach out to us for an estimate.