Not all pests hibernate or die when it gets cold out -- they move INSIDE!
When the weather gets cold, people tend to think that they can skip pest control services or not have them during the winter at all.
Keep in mind: Pests prefer warm, dry locations. Pests adapt to the changing environment. Many new challenges arise in the cooler months, including rodents/pests invading our homes looking for shelter. And some burrow into the ground. So as it gets colder, it is still important to maintain your regularly scheduled services, especially exterior treatments, as the weather allows.
Pest problems to watch for in the winter:
Mice
Once inside, mice are capable of chewing through walls, electrical wires and baseboards and breed at alarming rates. In addition to property damage and rampant infestations, mice also carry and transmit diseases such as Hantavirus and Salmonella. Mice having the capability of dropping more than 70 times per day.
Indian Meal (or Flour) Moths
Indian meal (or flour) moths enter the home through infested grains, and other dried foods. Some of the more commonly infested foods include: cereals, birdseed, flour, snack foods (cookies, chocolates, etc) and pet food.
Cockroaches
If not properly and quickly managed, roaches can be problematic and breed to prolific proportions. This is the case with German, American and Oriental cockroaches. It is not uncommon for roaches and other pests to be transported from one house to another by falling from the clothing of a person who has a roach infestation or by coming in boxes from items you buy in a store.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants can be found within the home during the winter months and may indicate a satellite nest located within the home. Carpenter ants will nest in wall voids. Inspect areas where wood may come in contact with excessive moisture (under sinks, basements, etc.) and wood that has been compromised by rot or fungus.
Termites
If left untreated, termites can cause extensive damage to wooden structure of a house. Termites are dependent on moisture sources. Foraging IS limited during winter months when the ground is frozen....however, they can remain active if the structure they are infesting is heated.
* * Skipping winter services can make spring control more difficult, too! Keeping a barrier maintained during the winter months is important to the early hatchings that will try to migrate into your house.
If any of these winter invaders are of concern to you -- PLEASE call Eddie today! Eddie has been in the pest control business 16 years.
Inspections to identify & isolate problems and estimates for treatments or preventative services are always FREE!
Services through C&C Home Services are AFFORDABLE! Don’t pay for the big company’s huge phone book ads, expensive television advertisements & fleet of vehicles. Our prices our fair & reasonable for EVERYone no matter what side of town you live on!
CALL 537-7752
** Remember -- we provide service to HOMES and BUSINESSES -- and C&C Home Services has the best service around, too!!
FAIRFAX, Va. -- Ever wonder what pests do in the winter? The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has answers.
Friendly creatures like some birds, bats and moths migrate. Certain species of bats travel hundreds of miles between their summer and winter homes while others hibernate in caves, trees or the chimneys of our homes.
Some pests, such as Japanese beetles and fire ants, tunnel into the ground for warmth. Subterranean termites do this, too - if they haven't moved indoors.
Others seek out a host. Blacklegged (deer) ticks, carriers of Lyme disease, like to spend the winter nestled in the fur of a deer. Without the host, their source of warmth and food, these pests are likely to die when temperatures drop.
Some insects, such as crickets and some stinging insects, lay eggs and die. The eggs hatch in the spring to begin the next generation. Other pests spend the cold months as dormant larvae. As the weather warms, their transformation begins, but some insects will pester us year round. If powder post beetles lay their eggs inside your home, the larvae will tunnel into hardwood floors, wooden antiques and the like, turning the wood in its path into fine, powdery sawdust.
Other pests thrive in our heated homes, schools and workplaces all winter. For example, cockroaches need food, water and a cozy place to live and our working and living space will provide that. Ants can also be found in kitchens regardless of what the weather is like outside.
According to Cindy Mannes, NPMA Vice President of Public Affairs, subterranean termites that haven't tunneled into the ground might take up residence inside, causing an estimated $5 billion in property damage each year. Mice and rats also seek shelter in the winter months, reproducing rapidly and carrying diseases, including the potentially deadly Hantavirus.
If any of these pests make your home their winter retreat, call a professional pest control company. In the quickest, most effective manner possible, highly trained technicians will properly identify and treat your specific pest issues using the most up-to-date treatments available. To learn more about pests or to locate a qualified professional in your area, please visit www.pestworld.org.
When the weather gets cold, people tend to think that they can skip pest control services or not have them during the winter at all.
Keep in mind: Pests prefer warm, dry locations. Pests adapt to the changing environment. Many new challenges arise in the cooler months, including rodents/pests invading our homes looking for shelter. And some burrow into the ground. So as it gets colder, it is still important to maintain your regularly scheduled services, especially exterior treatments, as the weather allows.
Pest problems to watch for in the winter:
Mice
Once inside, mice are capable of chewing through walls, electrical wires and baseboards and breed at alarming rates. In addition to property damage and rampant infestations, mice also carry and transmit diseases such as Hantavirus and Salmonella. Mice having the capability of dropping more than 70 times per day.
Indian Meal (or Flour) Moths
Indian meal (or flour) moths enter the home through infested grains, and other dried foods. Some of the more commonly infested foods include: cereals, birdseed, flour, snack foods (cookies, chocolates, etc) and pet food.
Cockroaches
If not properly and quickly managed, roaches can be problematic and breed to prolific proportions. This is the case with German, American and Oriental cockroaches. It is not uncommon for roaches and other pests to be transported from one house to another by falling from the clothing of a person who has a roach infestation or by coming in boxes from items you buy in a store.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants can be found within the home during the winter months and may indicate a satellite nest located within the home. Carpenter ants will nest in wall voids. Inspect areas where wood may come in contact with excessive moisture (under sinks, basements, etc.) and wood that has been compromised by rot or fungus.
Termites
If left untreated, termites can cause extensive damage to wooden structure of a house. Termites are dependent on moisture sources. Foraging IS limited during winter months when the ground is frozen....however, they can remain active if the structure they are infesting is heated.
* * Skipping winter services can make spring control more difficult, too! Keeping a barrier maintained during the winter months is important to the early hatchings that will try to migrate into your house.
If any of these winter invaders are of concern to you -- PLEASE call Eddie today! Eddie has been in the pest control business 16 years.
Inspections to identify & isolate problems and estimates for treatments or preventative services are always FREE!
Services through C&C Home Services are AFFORDABLE! Don’t pay for the big company’s huge phone book ads, expensive television advertisements & fleet of vehicles. Our prices our fair & reasonable for EVERYone no matter what side of town you live on!
CALL 537-7752
** Remember -- we provide service to HOMES and BUSINESSES -- and C&C Home Services has the best service around, too!!
FAIRFAX, Va. -- Ever wonder what pests do in the winter? The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has answers.
Friendly creatures like some birds, bats and moths migrate. Certain species of bats travel hundreds of miles between their summer and winter homes while others hibernate in caves, trees or the chimneys of our homes.
Some pests, such as Japanese beetles and fire ants, tunnel into the ground for warmth. Subterranean termites do this, too - if they haven't moved indoors.
Others seek out a host. Blacklegged (deer) ticks, carriers of Lyme disease, like to spend the winter nestled in the fur of a deer. Without the host, their source of warmth and food, these pests are likely to die when temperatures drop.
Some insects, such as crickets and some stinging insects, lay eggs and die. The eggs hatch in the spring to begin the next generation. Other pests spend the cold months as dormant larvae. As the weather warms, their transformation begins, but some insects will pester us year round. If powder post beetles lay their eggs inside your home, the larvae will tunnel into hardwood floors, wooden antiques and the like, turning the wood in its path into fine, powdery sawdust.
Other pests thrive in our heated homes, schools and workplaces all winter. For example, cockroaches need food, water and a cozy place to live and our working and living space will provide that. Ants can also be found in kitchens regardless of what the weather is like outside.
According to Cindy Mannes, NPMA Vice President of Public Affairs, subterranean termites that haven't tunneled into the ground might take up residence inside, causing an estimated $5 billion in property damage each year. Mice and rats also seek shelter in the winter months, reproducing rapidly and carrying diseases, including the potentially deadly Hantavirus.
If any of these pests make your home their winter retreat, call a professional pest control company. In the quickest, most effective manner possible, highly trained technicians will properly identify and treat your specific pest issues using the most up-to-date treatments available. To learn more about pests or to locate a qualified professional in your area, please visit www.pestworld.org.
