The tricky part about pest prevention is that it’s never truly finished. Even in the winter, when we assume pests are hibernating or dead, some can still creep in and seek shelter. As the weather warms back up, pest activity follows suit. This means that it’s best to be proactive rather than reactive.
Changing Seasons Means Emerging Problems
Longer, warmer days mean that animals will start migrating and foraging. This frenzy of activity can cause big problems both inside and outside of your home. Just a few of the most common spring pests are:
- Rodents: As warm-blooded creatures, mice, rats, voles, and moles all have to wait out the cold weather in order to survive. They all have different ways of doing this, and some can even stay active in the winter by burrowing underground where heat stays trapped.
- Insects: This category is broad and includes everything from house flies to termites. Most insects are too small to survive cold weather, so they go dormant or stay in hiding during cold months. Once the weather turns around, however, colonies of all shapes and sizes start to become active once more.
- Birds: Possibly the group least thought of when it comes to pests, birds are no less of a problem. Many are returning from warmer areas where they overwintered, and they will ravenously pursue insects and other animals as food sources to recharge after their long journeys.
What Can A Few Little Pests Do?
Seasonal migration and animal behavior is interesting, but you’re probably more interested in the harm these pests can do to your property. There are the obvious problems, like pests getting into and contaminating food, but pest droppings and discarded egg sacs can also cause odors and damage to household materials. Pests trying to dig or chew their way into your home or yard can damage electrical and plumbing systems, not to mention leave you with costly repairs for fences and other structures.
And many different kinds of pests are known carriers of deadly diseases like E. Coli, Salmonella, and plague. In addition to illnesses, pests can carry parasites and allergens that can cause dangerous and life-threatening reactions in some people.
Step-By-Step Pest Prevention
So, what can you do about all this? Well, it pays to take steps now, before pest activity increases:
- Seal up cracks or holes: Weather fluctuation can warp wood and paint in your home, plus age and general wear and tear can result in cracks or holes. Pests use these openings to get inside, so taking care to fix these problems now can prevent a future infestation.
- Spring cleaning: Not only is it important to remove food traces and waste that pests can feed on, but general decluttering can reduce the hiding spots that pests will use if they make it inside.
- Moisture control: As the weather heats up, the moisture trapped in the ground evaporates into the air, and New Englanders know just how humid the spring and early summer can get. This air moisture can permeate your home and many pests prefer dark, dank places to nest. Reducing water buildup can eliminate these attractive factors.
Professional Help Is Just A Call Away
It’s normal to want to take all this responsibility on yourself -- it’s your house, after all! But spring pest prevention is a job best left to the experts who know all the steps and areas to focus on. The professionals at American Pest Solutions can offer you even more prevention tips and will implement solutions that work best for your home and budget. For help making your home pest-proof, or for quick elimination of existing problems, call American Pest today.