Keeping Winter Pests at Bay

Many people only worry about bugs and creepy crawlies and bringing in a pest control company to get rid of them during the summer months when all the flying nuisances are in evidence; when that nasty looking hornet’s nests is sitting ominously under one of your gutters or that swarm of bees has taken over the whole lower half of your backyard.
When the winter rolls around the majority of the annoying insects Pest Identification Pdf are gone for the year and your home will be bug free for months.
That is not, however, even close to the truth. There are plenty of rodents and insects who dislike the cold weather every bit as much you do and are looking for somewhere nice, warm and cozy to spend the winter – somewhere like your house.
Most homeowners do not realize that they have a winter pest problem until they begin seeing the evidence. Droppings, nibbled food in cupboards, cockroaches scurrying back behind the refrigerator after having just spent a night feasting on those leftovers on your kitchen counters.
The fact is that a little pre-emptive pest protection could save you from having to call in the pest control company for an emergency visit right before your holiday guests arrive.
* Tightly seal all entry points and seal or repair any cracks or holes, however tiny. Mice can squeeze through openings smaller than a dime and even rats can push their way through a gap that is as big as a quarter.
* Have all the plants, trees and bushes that are close to your home trimmed back. Overhanging vegetation provides the perfect pathway for pests to get into your home so cut them off at the pass.
* Before you bring your firewood inside inspect it for pests like cockroaches and spiders. Better still store it in a covered firewood holder at all times, rather than having it lie around outside on the grass acting as a custom built home for all kinds of pests.
* Simple good sanitation will help as well. Keep counters and dishes clean; don’t forget to tightly seal leftovers, rinse recyclable containers prior to storing and remember to take out the kitchen garbage immediately whenever it is full.
If all this advice has come too late and you do end up with unwanted winter guests, call in the pest control professionals rather than trying to handle the problem yourself.
Although your local home store does indeed stock dozens of pest control products some of them can be pretty nasty to handle and downright dangerous if handled incorrectly. A licensed pest management Natural Bug Repellent For Plants Vinegar professional will determine the most effective treatment and control methods and get rid of your pest problem before you end up with extra, uninvited guests at your holiday dinner table.…

Winter Pest Control Tips

As the temperature drops during fall and winter months, rodent control becomes an important concern. Just as humans and pets seek shelter inside cozy warm homes, so do unwelcome visitors including mice, rats and other animals. Rodents can represent a major health risk to you and your children as they can carry and transmit many Horticultural Oil Spider Mites different diseases. In order to avoid having these dirty, diseased pests in your home, this article will provide a three-step approach to blocking entry to your home, making your house less appealing to pests by removing food sources, and finally, in the event you still have a pest problem, ridding your home of the rodents.
Mice and other small rodents can squeeze through very small cracks and holes, so be sure to seal any visible openings or cracks along the exterior or your house. Carefully look near windows and doors – as foundation settling can be significant, and gaps will often appear along these areas. Be sure to also look for and seal any openings inside your home: look around your baseboards, behind kitchen cabinets and appliances, closets and other areas rodents may gain entry.
Just as rodents are looking to stay warm during winter months, they’re also looking for food! Any available food supply makes an attractive target for rodents and should be cleaned up to cut down on possible infestation. If you store food in kitchen cabinets or a pantry, be sure to keep it in sturdy containers. Any thin or loose-fitting food bag is no match for a hungry animal. The same goes for pet food and garbage. Keep pet food in a heavy plastic or metal container that can seal out unwanted critters and keep your garbage area clean. Promptly remove especially messy trash and any food waste and consider using a garbage container with a lid.
Taking precautionary steps to eliminate sources of entry and sources of food will go a long way toward keeping pests outside your home How To Identify Scale On Plants this winter. But what happens if those nasty pests still find their way inside? The next step is pest removal or eradication.
Before dealing with a bug or rodent infestation, ask yourself if you are willing to tackle the problem on your own. Depending on the nature of the problem, some rodents, especially larger ones, should be handled by professionals. These critters carry a risk of disease and other health hazards. It’s not advisable to mess with them if you aren’t sure what you’re doing. However, if you’re up to the challenge, the first step in taking care of rodents is identifying what type of pest you have.
Identifying rodents can be easily done if you actually witness them, but if they’re aren’t visible you can tell by signs left such as gnaw marks, droppings, body trail marks (body marks left by animals running alongside wood), odor, etc. Once you know what uninvited guests you have, you can take the appropriate …

Home Pest Control Tips for Winter: Avoiding Common Infestations

Although winter is not the most pest-prone season, a winter home pest inspection will usually turn up at least a couple of unwanted houseguests. During the winter, pests are drawn to our heated homes, where they can find protection from the elements and a regular source of food (i.e., our food scraps and stores). Pest control providers would list the following pests as common problems in the winter months. We’ve also included a few tricks to help you minimize the likelihood that pests will infest your home this winter.
Cockroaches
Roaches thrive in all four seasons of the year. Food in your pantry will draw cockroaches, so your best protection against them is to keep a tidy kitchen. Make sure your garbage can has a tightly fitting lid; vacuum consistently, and make Organic Pest Control For Garden Vegetables sure your extra food is stored in air-tight containers. Fix leaky faucets, too – they can easily become a watering hole for roaches. If you already have an infestation, dry diatomaceous earth can help eradicate cockroach populations.
Ants
Ants are probably the most common winter pest. Some species, such as odorous house ants, prefer proteins and sweet foods. You can discourage these species by keeping your kitchen counters and floors immaculately clean. Also, check the area where you store pet food, which odorous house ants love to eat.
Carpenter ants are another species of ant that stays active through the winter. Sawdust piles are a dead giveaway that carpenter ants are nearby – these tiny animals dump the wood pulp that Victor Pest Repeller they remove to create their homes. As carpenter ants are tough to remove, it’s smart to hire a professional pest control service to eradicate any carpenter ant colonies on your property.
Pantry Pests
Meal moths and other pantry pests like to eat dry food staples including flour, birdseed and cereal. Starve them out by eliminating clutter, cleaning up crumbs and spills immediately, and storing extra food in tightly sealed containers. If you see webbing or larvae near your food, act quickly: Thoroughly clean the whole area and discard any infested food. Pest control professionals can provide additional advice for homeowners who are suffering from meal moth infestations; a home pest inspection can help you troubleshoot such pantry pests.
Mice and Rats
Rodent control is a year-round home maintenance task. Rats and mice can squeeze through tiny spaces to gain entry into your home; once they’re in, they’ll make a mess of any food that isn’t stored properly.
To avoid rodent infestations, arrange for a home pest inspection during the fall. A pest control expert will be able to point out cracks and crannies rodents could wiggle through. (In general, a mouse can fit through a dime-sized hole, while rats can fit through holes with the diameter of a quarter.) Once you know where rodents can get in, it’s time to fix loose doors, damaged screens, pipe insulation and any openings that could provide entry to rodents.
You can …

The Best Rodent Control Tips For Winter

It is a common misconception among people that pests and rodents infest and attack our homes during the summer months only. People heave a sigh of relief when its winters thinking that they could now rest in peace without flies and bees humming irritatingly into their ears. But, the truth is that even if the low temperatures of the winter months are not too welcoming for the pests and rodents to come out in the open, there can actually be quite a large number of such harmful organisms hiding in the cracks, crevices, and fissures of your home. Check the damp and dank areas of the house and you would be able to find the areas throbbing with life forms, slowly eating into the wooden structures, destroying the upholstery, and damaging the masonry structures. Sometimes, pests during the winters are far more menacing that the hornet’s nest under your gutters or swarm of flies in your orchard!
What are the possible entry points?
* During the winters there are quite a number of rodents and pests that tries to enter your home for the warmth and protection from the harsh weather outside. And these rodents and reptiles do not need the doorway to enter. They can enter from gaps and fissures on the walls, from any open ventilator in the basements, open drains, or through the gutters. Therefore, even if you do not find any signs of pest infestation, you should let a rodent control expert to inspect your house thoroughly.
* Often over-hanging vegetations are the ways for the pests like bats and caterpillars to enter. However, often you would not be able to determine the exact branches or the climbers that are allowing entry of pests. Sometimes the entry occurs from the backside of the house or the most overlooked part of the building. It would therefore, be better to call for rodent control experts to seal all entry of pests to the house effectively. They are well trained to detect such entry-points of pests and rodents.
* Rodents are mostly found in the pantry or the basement of the house. Rats also scurry past the crawl spaces. It is advised that all the areas of the house, which do not receive direct sunlight, should be kept clean and dry to ward off rodents.
Therefore, the best tip is that – when it is winter; call for a rodent control expert; make the condition inside your house Insecticide Termites uncomfortable and unfavorable for pests and rodents so that you and your family could stay comfortably and cozily indoors.
If you are thinking of contacting an agency for rodent control, Beaverton-based Halt Pest Control could provide you Identifying Insect Eggs In The Garden effective suggestions and take on appropriate tasks to ward off every kind of pests and rodents from your home.…

Home Pest Control Tips for Winter: Avoiding Common Infestations

Although winter is not the most pest-prone season, a winter home pest inspection will usually turn up at least a couple of unwanted houseguests. During the winter, pests are drawn to our heated homes, where they can find protection from the elements and a regular source of food (i.e., our food scraps and stores). Pest control providers would list the following pests as common problems in the winter months. We’ve also included a few tricks to help you minimize the likelihood that pests will infest your home this winter.
Cockroaches
Roaches thrive in all four seasons of the year. Food in your pantry will draw cockroaches, so your best protection against them is to keep a tidy kitchen. Make sure your garbage can has a tightly fitting lid; vacuum consistently, and make sure your extra food is stored in air-tight containers. Fix leaky faucets, too – they can easily become a watering hole for roaches. If you already have an infestation, dry diatomaceous earth can help eradicate cockroach populations.
Ants
Ants are probably the most common winter pest. Some species, such as odorous house ants, prefer proteins and sweet foods. You can discourage these species How To Avoid Rats At Home Naturally by keeping your kitchen counters and floors immaculately clean. Also, check the area where you store pet food, which odorous house ants love to eat.
Carpenter ants are another species of ant that stays active through the winter. Sawdust piles are a dead giveaway that carpenter ants are nearby – these tiny animals dump the wood pulp that they remove to create their homes. As carpenter ants are tough to remove, it’s smart to hire a professional pest control service to eradicate any carpenter ant colonies on your property.
Pantry Pests
Meal moths and other pantry pests like to eat dry food staples including flour, birdseed and cereal. Starve them out by eliminating clutter, cleaning up crumbs and spills immediately, and storing extra food in tightly sealed containers. If you see webbing or larvae near your food, act quickly: Thoroughly clean the whole area and discard any infested food. Pest control professionals can provide additional advice for homeowners who are suffering from meal moth infestations; a home pest inspection can help you troubleshoot such pantry pests.
Mice and Tidy Up Your Home Rats
Rodent control is a year-round home maintenance task. Rats and mice can squeeze through tiny spaces to gain entry into your home; once they’re in, they’ll make a mess of any food that isn’t stored properly.
To avoid rodent infestations, arrange for a home pest inspection during the fall. A pest control expert will be able to point out cracks and crannies rodents could wiggle through. (In general, a mouse can fit through a dime-sized hole, while rats can fit through holes with the diameter of a quarter.) Once you know where rodents can get in, it’s time to fix loose doors, damaged screens, pipe insulation and any openings that could provide entry to rodents.…

Keeping Winter at Bay Around the House

Winter. In the UK some people love this season, but a lot of us find it depressing. This is not only due to the fact that it gets cold and miserable outside (much like the British summer!) but also because if something around the house packs up you could be left huddling round an electric heater trying to keep warm or cooking your sausages on an open fire. Joking aside, home protection is an important way of maintaining your home and it is a good idea to plan ahead for winter. This article outlines the key things for you to do to keep your house and home in check so you are not left with your teeth chattering in the dark in the middle of the cold season.
Winter Chills and Draughts
In winter, the cold wind of the north will always find a way into your home and give you the shivers. Here’s some advice to help keep you warm and also save you money on your heating bills by making sure your home is draft free and insulated.
Insulation is Key – In the winter, pipes are susceptible to bursting due to high amounts of pressure being built up due to the frozen liquid in the pipe. Avoid the calamity of having your pipe burst and insulate all your pipes and water tanks before it’s too late.
Draughty Decisions – Instigate an investigation upon your own house. Find where the draughts are sneaking into your house. Check loft hatches, windows, doors and pipes which lead outside.
Bleed your Radiators – Bleeding your radiators is one of the best ways to get the best out of your radiators and heat up your home. Once you bleed your radiators any trapped air will be released, allowing hot water to circulate more efficiently – keeping your home nice and cosy.
Plan for the Worst
As I’ve already mentioned, winter always has ways of surprising us. To keep your house maintained and nice and warm this winter, follow this handy advice for complete home protection!
Invest in Boiler Service – Make sure your boiler is serviced every year. This will help keep your boiler working efficiently. This will save you money on your heating bills and repair bills and also reduce the risk of your boiler breaking when you turn it on at the start of winter.
Be Stopcock Smart – If you have ever been a victim of a broken pipe you’ll know that knowing where your stopcock is essential in such an emergency. Check out where yours is today!
A Priceless Power-cut Kit – Whatever the time of year, but especially in the winter, a power-cut kit is a useful addition to any household. These could Types Of Pesticides Epa contain useful items such as a battery powered torch, matches and candles, bottled water and non-perishable food that needs little or no cooking.
In conclusion, if you follow these top tips on how to protect your house and home over …

Keeping Winter Pests at Bay

Many people only worry about bugs and creepy crawlies and bringing in a pest control company to get rid of them during the summer months when all the flying nuisances are in evidence; when that nasty looking hornet’s nests is sitting ominously under one of your gutters or that swarm of bees has taken over the whole lower half of your backyard.
When the winter rolls around the majority of the annoying insects are gone for the year and your home will be bug free for months.
That is not, however, even close to the truth. There are plenty of rodents and insects who dislike the cold weather every bit as much you do and are looking for somewhere nice, warm and cozy to spend the winter – somewhere like your house.
Most homeowners do not realize that they have a winter pest problem until they begin seeing the evidence. Droppings, nibbled food in cupboards, cockroaches scurrying back behind the refrigerator after having just spent a night feasting on those leftovers on your kitchen counters.
The fact is that a little pre-emptive pest protection could save you from having to call in the pest control company for an emergency visit right before your holiday guests arrive.
* Tightly seal all entry points and seal or repair any cracks or holes, however tiny. Mice can squeeze through openings smaller than a dime and even rats can push their way through a gap that is as big as a quarter.
* Have all the plants, trees and bushes that are close to your home trimmed back. Overhanging vegetation Pest Control In Food Processing Plants provides the perfect pathway for pests to get into your home so cut them off at the pass.
* Before you bring your firewood inside inspect it for pests like cockroaches and spiders. Better still store it in a covered firewood holder at all times, rather than having it lie around outside on the grass acting as a custom built home for all kinds of pests.
* Simple good sanitation will help as well. Keep counters and dishes clean; don’t forget to tightly seal leftovers, rinse recyclable containers prior to storing and remember to take out the kitchen garbage immediately whenever it is full.
If all this advice has come too late and you do end up with unwanted winter guests, call What To Do After Pest Control Sprays in the pest control professionals rather than trying to handle the problem yourself.
Although your local home store does indeed stock dozens of pest control products some of them can be pretty nasty to handle and downright dangerous if handled incorrectly. A licensed pest management professional will determine the most effective treatment and control methods and get rid of your pest problem before you end up with extra, uninvited guests at your holiday dinner table.…

Pest Proofing Tips for Winter

The cooler weather is fast approaching which means that the household heating will soon be coming on, which in turns makes your home a nice inviting place for rodents and bugs.

In order to pest proof your home for the winter months then the following seasonal tips can help:

Outdoors:

Check weather stripping around doors and windows and replace if required.

Crawl space vents should be equipped with tight fitting screens. Repair any damaged screens which may be torn.

Repairing any leaks under sinks, behind tubs and around drains. Seal around drains and faucets. Also place small screens over floor drains to keep pests from crawling in.

Insects like damp conditions, so in preparation for winter run a dehumidifier in the basement ensuring it is well ventilated and dry. Winter does tend to be very dry, some are milder than others which can make areas in your home more humid.

Replace or repair any screens that may be torn.

Repair any loose mortar around the basement Organic Pest Management Solutions foundation and around windows.

Caulk any cracks and crevices around windows, electrical outlets and baseboards.

Potential entry points such as clothes dryer vents, basement window frames, plumbing or electrical entrances should also be caulked or screened. These are common areas for rodents, ants and spiders.

Seal off any dog or cat doors as they extend an invitation for pests to enter.

Keep your garage door closed as much as possible.

Don’t store items in the attic in cardboard boxes. This will be easy for pests such as rodents to get into as they can gnaw their way through easily, providing a nice warm home for them. Store items in plastic boxes instead.

Store firewood away at least 20 feet away from the home and 5 feet off the ground.

Keep garbage cans covered and ensure they are emptied regularly. Additionally do not store them directly on the ground, store them raised on blocks.

Keep tree branches and shrubbery well trimmed and away from the house.

Repair fascia and soffits and rotted roof shingles as some insects are drawn to rotting wood.

Indoors

Don’t encourage feeding of pests by cleaning up any crumbs that are dropped immediately and ensuring food is stored in the sealed containers.

Inspect boxes, grocery bags and other packaging Natural Pest Controlling Methods Wikipedia material thoroughly for any hitchhikers.

Keep glass and canned items on the bottom of your pantry and move boxes and plastic wrapped items to the top shelves. You can additionally empty those items into plastic, sealing containers to make access even harder.

Store open food items, such as fruits and vegetables in the fridge or in sealed containers.

Keep closets free from clutter by storing items in hard plastic totes.

Inspect your home inside and out for any signs of pest activity. If you don’t have a home pest control maintenance plan then perhaps think about one, but do your research first before you sign up to any contract. It’s always preferable to …

Home Pest Control: Protect Your Home And Family From Mice This Winter

Most homeowners in Missouri have come into contact with the common house mouse at least once in their lives. Mice like to seek refuge inside homes during the fall months so that they will have a warm and safe place to spend the cool winter months. Finding a mouse scrounging around in your cupboard, or finding their droppings near your bread box is not uncommon, but it’s a lot more dangerous to have mice in Corded Electric Lawn Mower your home than some people realize. Mice are known carriers of several different diseases and health conditions, and their presence in a home can cause asthma and allergies in young children. Before you find mice in your home this fall, here is some basic information about their habits as well as a few pest proofing tips you should follow to make sure your home and family are safe from mice this winter.
Mice can enter your home through tiny openings as small as A�” diameter. Small gaps around pipes and utility wires into your home can be enough to allow mice into your home, and gaps in siding or wood fascia can be inviting to mice and other creatures. Once inside your home, mice will start looking for a place to nest and for a food source. The food in your cupboards that is packaged lightly is easy for mice to get into, and they will devour whatever they can find, leaving their little brown rice-shaped droppings throughout your cupboards. These droppings can carry salmonellosis, and can contaminate the food in your cupboard. If you leave pet food out, mice will eat that too. They will nest inside walls, and chew up insulation and dry wall to make a comfortable nest for them. Often they will chew through electrical wiring, which can be very dangerous and even a fire hazard.
The common house mouse is easily recognizable; often gray or brown and about 7 and a half inches long, including their 3 to 4 inch long tail. Their eyes are black and beady and their ears are relatively large for their bodies. Mice are very quick and very agile, with very sharp senses. In only a year, a female mouse can have as many as 10 litters, each litter having up to 6 babies. In a very short time, you can have a large population of mice living in your home- feeding off your food, creating nests in your walls. In order to keep pests from wreaking havoc in your home this winter, prevention is very important. Locating and sealing up gaps in your siding, or around piping that comes in from the exterior of your home is a must. Sealing cracks in your home’s foundation and installing a chimney cap can keep mice from entering your structure. Finding all possible entry points for mice is nearly impossible- you just never know what tiny hole they’ll find in your home’s structure. If you have blocked all the entry points you can …

Home Pest Control: Protect Your Home And Family From Mice This Winter

Most homeowners in Missouri have come into contact with the common house mouse at least once in their lives. Mice like to seek refuge inside homes during the fall months so that they will have a warm and safe place to spend the cool winter months. Finding a mouse scrounging around in your cupboard, or finding their droppings near your bread box is not uncommon, but it’s a lot more dangerous to have mice in Physical Pest Control your home than some people realize. Mice are known carriers of several different diseases and health conditions, and their presence in a home can cause asthma and allergies in young children. Before you find mice in your home this fall, here is some basic information about their habits as well as a few pest proofing tips you should follow to make sure your home and family are safe from mice this winter.
Mice can enter your home through tiny openings as small as A�” diameter. Small gaps around pipes and utility wires into your home can be enough to allow mice into your home, and gaps in siding or wood fascia can be inviting to mice and other creatures. Once inside your home, mice will start looking for a place to nest and for a food source. The food in your cupboards that is packaged lightly is easy for mice to get into, and they will devour whatever they can find, leaving their little brown rice-shaped droppings throughout your cupboards. These droppings can carry salmonellosis, and can contaminate the food in your cupboard. If you leave pet food out, mice will eat that too. They will nest inside walls, and chew up insulation and dry wall to make a comfortable nest for them. Often they will chew through electrical wiring, which can be very dangerous and even a fire hazard.
The common house mouse is easily recognizable; often gray or brown and about 7 and a half inches long, including their 3 to 4 inch long tail. Their eyes are black and beady and their ears are relatively large for their bodies. Mice are very quick and very agile, with very sharp senses. In only a year, a female mouse can have as many as 10 litters, each litter having up to 6 babies. In a very short time, you can have a large population of mice living in your home- feeding off your food, creating nests in your walls. In order to keep pests from wreaking havoc in your home this winter, prevention is very important. Locating and sealing up gaps in your siding, or around piping that comes in from the exterior of your home is a must. Sealing cracks in your home’s foundation How To Get Rid Of Tiny Spiders and installing a chimney cap can keep mice from entering your structure. Finding all possible entry points for mice is nearly impossible- you just never know what tiny hole they’ll find in your home’s structure. If you have blocked …