Dealing with Winter Pests

dealing with winter pest

dealing with winter pest

Nashville and Murfreesboro TN

You may think most all pests hibernate during the winter. While some do, certain pests simply move indoors to find warmth and food, those pests being mice, cockroaches, and spiders. As a home or business owner, here are some tips you can practice to keep these pests from coming inside during the winter.

House Mice

The most commonly encountered rodents in the U.S. are house mice. They prefer to nest in dark, secluded areas such as your basement or attic. This fury pest can cause significant damage to your property and belongings as they can chew through right through drywall or electrical wiring – causing a fire. As if that weren’t enough, but they also can contaminate food and are known to spread diseases such as Salmonella and tapeworms.

Tips for getting rid of mice:

  • Seal all cracks and holes with either caulk or steel wool – mice cannot chew through steel wool.
  • Keep areas clean and clear of clutter and boxes since mice prefer to nest in clutter.
  • Inspect your home routinely for signs of mice activity such as droppings, gnaw marks or damaged food.

Norway Rats

These rodents are much larger than house mice and can be much more destructive mostly due to their size. Found mostly in basements, they can chew through anything – even cinder blocks or lead pipes! Like other small rodents, Norway rats prefer to nest in clutter or piles, and can also transmit diseases such as jaundice, rat-bite fever, and cowpox virus.

Tips for getting rid of Norway rats:

  • Seal up all cracks and holes, even ones as small a ½ inch (the size of a quarter) by filling them with silicone caulk.
  • Eliminate moisture from crawl spaces and basements.
  • Routinely inspect inside for signs of an infestation, such as large droppings or greasy rub marks along baseboards and walls, which is caused by their greasy fur as they run along baseboards.

German Cockroaches

The German Cockroach is most commonly found type of roach inside of homes in the U.S. They prefer to live in small areas close to food and moisture such as kitchens, although they can also be found in bathrooms. Even if you do not have any cracks or crevices for roaches to access, they can still find their way in through bags of produce, secondhand appliances, and boxes from storage. German cockroaches are known to carry and spread diseases to humans, and can exacerbate allergies and asthma, especially in children.

Tips for getting rid of Cockroaches:

  • Keep counters and floors clean of food crumbs
  • Vacuum often
  • Remove trash from your home regularly
  • Inspect under sinks in your kitchen and bathroom for signs of roaches

Brown Recluse Spiders

Like many spiders, brown recluse spiders prefer to spin webs in areas that are undisturbed such as closets, crawl spaces, basements, and attics. You may find these spiders inside of boxes or along window moldings or even seldom-worn clothes and shoes in your closet. The problem with brown recluse spiders is that they are poisonous and a danger to humans.

Tips for preventing brown recluse spiders:

  • Keep trees, shrubs, and plants trimmed away from your home and avoid limbs hanging onto your roof.
  • Store unused clothing, shoes, and sporting equipment inside of plastic containers. Always inspect them when getting them out again for the season.
  • If you get a spider bite, seek immediate medical attention.

Raccoons

Raccoons are carriers of rabies and are commonly found in wooded areas of the eastern part of the U.S. They prefer to set up their den inside of attics or chimneys.

Tips for getting rid of raccoons:

  • Store trashcans in a sealed off area such as a shed or outhouse, put animal-proof lids on them if storing outside.
  • Inspect the outside of your home for access points, specifically broken vent covers.
  • Install mesh covers over your chimneys or exposed openings such as dryer vents.
  • Keep tree branches trimmed back away from your home.

Pest Control in Middle Tennessee

The winter season is not the time to forget about pest control in Nashville. Choose Ameri Care Services for your pest control needs. We proudly serve customers of the Nashville, Mt. Juliet, and Murfreesboro, TN areas. The next time that you need to exterminate your home, call us at (615) 893-7111!