For Pest Control Services
Phones answered 24/7
Serving CT & Western MA
For Pest Control Services
Phones answered 24/7
Serving CT & Western MA
As summer comes to an end and the leaves begin to drop, you might think the need for pest control will decrease along with the temperature. In reality, the drop in temperature will likely force these pests to seek food and shelter within your home.
When preparing for the fall it’s important to get ahead of the problem before it has started. You can do this with a variety of prevention techniques. Without proper preparation, the colder months of the year could bring along an infestation of unwelcome visitors.
With fall approaching, pests will look to the warm confines of your home to spend the cold season. As many insects die off with the cold weather, pests who rely on insects as food will begin to look for a new food source within your home. Rodents, wasps, ants, spiders, beetles and cockroaches are just some of the common pests that may look for a way inside this fall.
When it comes to rodents, it’s important to remain vigilant around this time as a sighting of just one mouse could be a sign that many more are present. A litter of mice can contain as many as 14 new babies, called pups. Females are able to get pregnant again immediately after giving birth. That means that it can take as little as 3 weeks to repeat this process.
Mice can gain entry to your home through a gap as small as a dime, whereas a rat can squeeze through a hole as small as a quarter. Because of their ability to enter into your home through these small gaps it is crucial to get ahead of the problem by patching up any potential entry points around your home.
After a summer of swarming wasps, you would hope to be done worrying about these stinging insects. Wasps begin to prepare for the cold by foraging for food and collecting nutrients to last them through the winter months. They can be more frantic as the summer season comes to a close since they can sense the change in seasons. Wasp nests are also at their peak occupancy at the end of the summer, meaning that disturbing a large nest can result in a lot of angry insects.
Although the workers will die off as the temperature drops, the pregnant queen will find a dry place where they will not be disturbed to overwinter through the cold seasons. She may choose to hibernate under loose tree bark, or in a quiet attic or basement. They can enter through the smallest of spaces under siding or any cracks and crevices along the perimeter of the home. Most times, this overwintering Queen will go unnoticed throughout the cold winter months, but as she awakens in the spring you may notice wasp activity around your home.
Ants are yet another pest looking to make their way inside for the winter. You may notice a decrease in visible ant activity, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the problem is gone. Ants will prepare for the winter by building their nest in a sheltered area and can work their way into the walls of your home.
They huddle close together in order to regulate their body temperatures. They stock up on fatty foods, reduce their movement and enter a dormant state as the temperature drops. So while you may not see ant activity, that does not mean they are gone. When the temperature rises again in the spring you may find your home filled with a flurry of ants as they come out of dormancy. Continuing maintenance services through the fall months, and starting up services again in the spring when the temperature rises will help to deter any ants from using your home as a shelter.
Some other common pests known to invade your home as the weather cools off are spiders, beetles, cockroaches and more. Many of these unwelcome visitors are known to enter a dormant state throughout the winter months while waiting for warmer days to reemerge in search of food and water. During these colder months they can be known to reemerge early when temperatures rise due to excessive heating or a warmer winter day. However many of these insects are not able to survive when exposed to colder temperatures therefore they will die off unless sheltered within your home.
With fall quickly approaching, there are some important steps you can take to prepare your home ahead of time. As mentioned earlier, some of these insects can enter your home through very small gaps, cracks and crevices. That’s why it is crucial to seal any possible openings to block out these visitors. Smaller cracks can be sealed using silicone caulking, or steel wool can be added for any larger openings.
Other potential entry points can include damaged garage doors, or windows and vents that aren’t properly sealed. Garage doors must be kept closed when not in use, and windows and vents should be covered with a protective screening if left open throughout the fall and winter months. Additional precautions can be taken by eliminating potential food sources. You can do this by sealing stored food in airtight containers and regularly taking out the trash and keeping it in a sealed receptacle. We recommend keeping any bushes and shrubs around the exterior of your home trimmed back at least one foot from the structure, as well as keeping any firewood at least 20 feet away and off of the ground.
If these DIY methods aren’t enough to keep your pests at bay, we recommend contacting a professional pest management service. Trained and licensed pest management technicians at Richland can assess the situation and recommend a plan of action to get the problem handled. We can apply a chemical treatment around the perimeter of the home, under siding, around windows, and in cracks and crevices to deter any potential pests. Lastly, if you are noticing activity within the home, certain baits can be used to handle existing infestations.
Richland Pest & Bee Control has been serving the state of Connecticut for over 45 years. For help controlling nuisance pests like spiders, ants, wasps and rodents, we offer multiple solutions and can customize treatment plans to suit your needs and your budget. Give us a call at 1-800-308-9126, or contact us online for a free estimate.