Common Winter Pests

The cold temperatures of winter may not have fully hit yet, but they are well on their way. With this shift in temperature, some pests will take the opportunity to enter the home, finding warmth and a source of food and water within your walls. Take a look at some of the most common winter pests to help you identify and avoid them in your home.

Bed bugs

While bed bugs can enter your home during any time of the year, it is often during the winter months that we may let our guard down, allowing them an easy point of access into our homes. These pests will hitchhike their way into your home, clinging on anything they can. As you travel during the holiday season, check for bed bugs in the hotels, airplanes, or even relative homes you visit. Checking for bed bugs before you check in will help stop the problem before it catches a ride home with you.

House Centipede

The house centipede can quickly become a problem in the home as it can produce more than 35 eggs over the span of just a few days. These critters are fast, using their 15 to 90 pairs of legs to hide in the dark corners of your home. The house centipede chooses to hide in the dark and damp places inside your home, including closets, attics, and bathrooms. To reduce their desired habitat, employ a dehumidifier in the basement to take away some of the moisture.

Silverfish

Unlike some other pests, the silverfish can live for three years, making it a potential problem for a much longer period of time. These pests can be identified by their torpedo shaped body with silver grey coloring. Most often they can be found in wood piles or other piles of debris, giving them an easy chance to thrive.

Mice

Once the weather starts to get colder, mice will venture into the home and garage, looking not only for a source of food but a warm place to rest. Once the mice have established a nest, they will begin reproducing more, causing more problems. Avoid diseases by identifying and eliminating these pests from your residence.

Just because the temperatures drop doesn’t mean pests are gone. Now more than ever is the time to protect your home from these bugs and rodents, eliminating their chance of entering the home.