Winter Bugs: Surprising Pests That Stick Around in Massachusetts

When homeowners transition from summer to autumn and winter, they breathe a sigh of relief as all of the summertime pests disappear. Unfortunately, it only takes one insect skittering along the floorboards to dampen that spirit. While homeowners may expect that pests will leave during the winter, this is usually far from true. In fact, winter bugs might become even more common!

The good news is that seeing an uptick of pests in the winter isn’t a guaranteed part of the cold season. With some strategy and a couple of careful habits, you can protect your Massachusetts home from pest intrusion at any time of the year.

Here is what you need to know about winter bugs, why they stick around in Massachusetts, and how you can evict them from your space.

The Most Common Winter Bugs

Before homeowners can determine how to keep pests out of their homes during the winter, they’ll need to know which perpetrators to watch for. Each home will face different challenges based on its vulnerabilities and the habits of the people inside. However, in general, winter pests common in Massachusetts include:

• Cockroaches: These seemingly immortal annoyances can be found at any time of the year, but they are more likely to trek through visible areas during the winter. The cold restricts the places they can hide, so they must retreat closer to the middle of the home away from exterior walls. Because cockroaches can carry disease and might even eat your perishables, it is important to address the issue quickly.
• Termites: Even though termites chew on the wood of a home’s exterior, they do not stop working just because the weather gets cold outside. It’s important to continue to check on a home’s wooden elements, even when they might be obscured by snow or frost.
• Rodents: Perhaps the most ubiquitous wintertime pest, animals from the rodent family love venturing indoors to find a cozy spot to nest during the coldest months of the year. Pay special attention to scrabbling or squeaking sounds in the walls. Rodents can spread disease, eat human or pet food, and even bite, so they should not be allowed to roam.

How to Keep Pests Out

As soon as a homeowner suspects that they may have a pest problem, it is important to take action immediately. Every day that passes allows the pests to populate and grow in number, making them harder to eliminate. The best strategy for keeping out pests will depend on which ones the home is beset with, but start with:

• Checking for gaps: Most pests enter the home through vulnerabilities such as cracks and gaps. Pay particular attention to areas around architecture that go through walls, such as vents and pipes.
• Removing food sources: Pests seek comfort indoors because finding food in the winter is difficult. By removing easy sources of food, homeowners can make their residences less hospitable so the pests choose somewhere else. Try storing food in impenetrable glass containers and cleaning up spills or crumbs right away.
• Tidying the house: Pests understand that they are prey, and so they spend most of their time hiding. Remove hiding spots such as piles of clothes or stacks of cardboard where they may retreat during the day or when frightened. This goes for the garage as well!
• Learning their patterns: Taking the time to learn how the pests move can help homeowners better understand where they are coming from and how they are hiding. For instance, mice and rats like to follow baseboards because it helps them to feel secure; try to spot rodent droppings along these routes to identify where they come and go from. Look for disturbed insulation in the attic to spot where squirrels might be making their nests.
• Working with a pest control professional: Because pest infestations can get out of hand quickly, it is essential that homeowners keep a professional on their side. While the homeowner will have tasks of their own to tackle, such as keeping the space clean, a pest control team can handle the initial hurdle of finding and sealing gaps or deciding on the right approach to remove the pests quickly, before anyone gets sick.

Keep a Pest Control Company on Hand

When it comes to handling pests, homeowners should take the issue seriously and act quickly. Not only does this preserve your peace of mind, but it also keeps your home and family safe.

The professionals at Spartan Animal & Pest Control can help you identify the pests that are sneaking around your home and develop a plan to deal with them. Contact Spartan Animal & Pest Control to schedule a visit!