With the winter already here, it is time to give your living space a warm makeover. A cozy feel with warm rugs and soft cushions is not the only thing that you need to make your home winter-ready. If you think more practically, this is also the time to prepare for invasive pests that might just come to your place uninvited because they want a warm shelter. These overwintering pests simply adapt to survive the harsh winter by hiding in the nooks and corners. Though they may not a big problem at present, these lurking invaders may subsequently surface as a huge infestation once summer comes. So it is best to have a plan to prevent them in the first place. If you are not prepared for overwintering pests, here are some tips to steer clear of them.
Know your enemies
Even before you think about the prevention of overwintering pests, you need to know your enemies in the first place. Some of the most common overwintering pests include stink bugs, ladybugs, boxelder bugs, and cluster bugs. Mosquitoes, spiders, cockroaches and even larger ones like rats and mice can hide in your living space in the winter. As the temperatures drop, these pests start looking for warm shelters and they will surely enter if they find a point from where they can make their way in.
Know their favorite hiding spots
Be aware of the favorite hiding spots for overwintering pests and make arrangements to cover them up. Don’t let clutter gather anywhere inside your home, garage or driveway. Keep the garden clean and clutter-free as well. Store the firewood away from the home because this is one of the warm places where pests definitely love to hide. Make sure that the basement and attic are dry and ventilated because a warm, moist and dirty place makes a great hiding spot for bugs and pests.
Prevent entry
Identifying your enemies is just half the work done as you need to make sure that they are not able to enter in the first place. Pest prevention is, in fact, a critical element of an effective pest control strategy. To start with, you need a thorough inspection of the place to find any cracks and holes through which these unwanted visitors may enter. Fill them up and replace the loose mortar wherever there is a need. Any broken window panes and crevasses beneath the doors should also be repaired.
Clear them out
Despite the best precautions, you may still have overwintering pests coming in and making their homes inside your living space. The best approach would be an aggressive one because you would not want to face a major infestation during the summers. You should call a professional exterminator to get the pests out and clear them for good once and for all. Although you may want to try DIY, professional service is always better because it gives you speedy, effective and guaranteed results.
Keeping overwintering pests away will not only ensure zero stress for the homeowner but also guarantee a pest-free summer ahead. Even if you spend some money on professional extermination today, you will end up saving in the long run.
