Introduction

Even if the weather may be colder in the winter, that does not mean your home is safe from unwanted guests. Insects and other pests may seek refuge in your home throughout the winter. Using our significant pest management experience, we have put together a list of expert suggestions to prevent pests from invading your house throughout the winter.  Call ASM Pest Control for professional pest control services in Burnaby if alternative methods fail.

  1. Check Firewood Before Bringing It Inside The Home 

For homes that use conventional wood fireplaces or stoves, firewood is necessary to maintain these units operating. Bringing firewood indoors carries the risk of introducing unwanted pests. Insects like ground beetles, spiders, centipedes, sow/pill bugs, millipedes, and earwigs have been known to seek refuge in wood piles or cracks, while wood-boring insects like powder post beetles, longhorn beetles, carpenter ants, mites, and so on have been known to nest and feed inside the wood itself. Once indoors, these bugs might emerge from the wood. Mites and powder post beetles are two species that can invade wooden structures inside the home.

Preventive Measures:

  • Shake or pound wood to remove insects.

  • Store firewood outside or in a shelter, and bring in only what you need daily.

  • Do not store wood you cut or chop on the ground. Store firewood on a shelf to prevent opportunistic crawling pests from infesting or sheltering in it.

Indoor firewood storage requires constant pest monitoring. Fine or coarse sawdust under the woodpile or exit holes on wood surfaces may indicate insect activity.

  1. Minimize Damp Spots When Dealing With Indoor Plants

Indoor plant watering might stimulate the growth of pests like fungus gnats and black scavenger flies. Larvae of fungus gnats eat fungi and organic materials in the soil, but they also nibble on plant roots, which can be a nuisance for you and your plants. If this happens, your plant’s growth may be slowed and even die.

Preventive Measures:

  • Be careful not to overwater your plants.

  • Dry the soil between watering. This will curb the lifetime of the larvae in the initial stage itself!

  1. Protective Measures For Rodent Areas 

When it becomes cold outside, rodents seek refuge within. Because of this, they may be more likely to establish their nests inside, close to human habitation and potential food supplies.

Preventive Measures:

  • Check how did the mouse/rat get in? Check the outside of your home. Rats can penetrate quarter-sized holes, while mice can enter dime-sized ones. Repair these holes before the problem stretches

  • To catch rats in your home, use snap traps, multiple-catch live traps, or over-the-counter bait stations from your local hardware or department store. For safe and successful trap use, read and follow manufacturer directions.

  1. Collect and get rid of any insects that have overwintered

Boxelder bugs, cluster flies, and brown marmorated stink bugs are just some of the overwintering insects that may become busy in common areas of your home on bright, sunny winter days or when the house is too warm. These insects frequently gather on or near windows and window sills in their attempts to escape.

Preventive Measures:

  • Most overwintering insects can be eliminated from the home simply by vacuuming and throwing them away, except for stink bugs, which can leave a foul odor in your vacuum and home for days after being sucked up. The most humane way to get rid of stink bugs is to take a dustpan and sweep them up without crushing them, then put them in a plastic bag and put the bag in a trash can outside.

Conclusion

We hope these suggestions may assist you in maintaining a pest-free home during winter. If you have a pest problem that you can’t handle, don’t worry; the expert technicians at ASM Pest Control Services in Burnaby are happy to help. If you need reliable pest control services, don’t hesitate to call ASM Pest Control immediately.