The leaves have turned and the colder weather is upon us. You know what that means. It is time for outside pests to start becoming inside pests. Hopefully, you’ve already bolstered your defenses. Either way, it is a good idea to run down through this list of common pests, and see what is necessary to keep them outside where they belong.

Mice

When cold temperatures drive mice into your home, they can bring all kinds of trouble with them. Mice carry ticks, fleas, mites, and other parasites in with them. They contaminate stored foods, food prep surfaces, and dishes. And inside your home, they’re going to chew on things you’d probably prefer they didn’t chew on. Use these steps to deter them:

Before mice use your home as harborage, they’ll use objects near your home as harborage. Moving objects away from your exterior walls will deter mice. Mice are good climbers. Putting wire mesh in your downspouts can keep mice from crawling up and gaining access to vulnerable areas on your roof.

Spiders

While spiders have a natural ability to resist the cold, the insects they feed on do not. When cold temperatures drive insects into your home, spiders are going to come with them. Use the following steps to resist spiders and insects:

• Seal your foundation and make sure there are no gaps around your windows.
• Repair any damaged screens.
• Look closely at utility line or pipe penetrations and use a caulking gun to seal things up.
• Make sure all of your weather stripping on sliding doors is making a good seal.
• Make sure all of your door sweeps make a good connection all the way across.
• Seal up gaps where your chimney stack has pulled away from your exterior wall.
• Keep leaves raked up to reduce insect harborage near your walls.

Overwintering Pests

There are many bugs that prefer to be in crop fields. Your home is just a temporary harborage for them. These are lady bugs, box elder bugs, stink bugs, wasps and other creatures that cannot live inside your home. Try the following to stop them in their tracks:

• Use all of the above tips for sealing spiders and insects out because overwintering pests are usually insects.
• Be aware that sealing your walls won’t keep these bugs from congregating and, when they congregate, they can fly right in through your door when you come or go. For best results, it is necessary to have a pest control company do a spray treatment.

If you find any of these pests inside your home or you need assistance keeping them out, reach out to Active Pest Control. We offer our residential customers the most advanced pest control available.