Do you ever wonder what happens to insects during winter? Most of us think that they would just die from the cold. But how come we get more infested with pests during the cold season? If you are wondering why mice, rats, cockroaches, spiders, and raccoons invade your home the most during winter, you have come to the right place.
Much like any specie, insects too, have their own system of getting through winter. Ants and termites overcome winter by staying as a colony to keep warm.
Top Five Winter Pests That Invade Indoors
1. Mice can create tiny holes which they can fit into all over your house. These winter pests can hide in the most unreachable places like attics, ceilings, basements, or other dark and hidden places. Whenever you hear scratching or gnawing at night, you might want to check for mice infestation. These creatures seem harmless but they bring great peril.
They can chew off electrical wiring that can cause fire. Mice droppings when ingested broods bacteria such as salmonella and tapeworm. They can even gnaw on your walls, flooring, and food storage just to survive. This will make house maintenance way more difficult with all the holes, scratches, and damaged properties.
2. Rats, on the other hand, are much bigger than mice. They stay in dumpsters, sewers, and drain pipes to survive the winter. Rats can bore holes to enter your basement and reproduce, causing a wider rat infestation in your home. Be careful to store your food in a safe place. A small rat dropping can cause jaundice and cowpox virus.
To prevent these winter pests from infiltrating your home, make sure to seal all possible entrances. Keep the surroundings of your house clean. To eliminate these pests from within your home, you can set up rat and mouse traps. Use repellent or rat poison to get rid of the pests. But be careful to keep them out of reach of children.
3. The third most common winter pest is the cockroach. When the temperature starts to drop, they look for warmth to keep them alive. Cockroaches are not as resilient outdoors as ants or termites. They prefer to live indoors where the atmosphere is humid and warm. They rely on food crumbs, dirty dishes, and spilled beverages for food. Cockroaches hide inside boxes, cabinets, drawers, and even appliances.
4. They are almost the same as spiders where they build their web on the least used areas of the house. The best way to keep spiders and cockroaches from infesting your home is
- Keeping it clean
- Make cleaning a routine
- Do not forget to tidy up the least used areas and appliances in your house.
5. Raccoons rank as the 5th most common winter pest in the US. They enter homes through the chimneys and attics to establish a home. But be careful. Raccoons are reported as one of the most common causes of rabies. It is best to take utmost care when attempting to eliminate or shoo off these creatures. To prevent raccoons from entering your home, make sure to repair loose shingles and install mesh covers around exposed openings.