Why Pest Control Is So Important During The Winter Season

Many people say that they don't really need pest control during the winter season, and that the insects will eventually die off during the winter. However, even if some insects are less active during the winter, there are others insects and rodents such as rats, mice and squirrels that try their best to make it into your warm and cozy home to keep from freezing. Unfortunately, many of them will succeed. If there are any easy access points, pests will take advantage and will eventually build their nests in your attic, wall cavities or even in unused kitchen cupboards.

Most Common Winter Pests In The United Kingdom

1. Mice and Rats

These pesky pests tend to enter properties and businesses in the winter season due to the shortage of food supplies. If you are storing food such as cereal, rice, pasta or biscuits on your worktops, you need to look carefully for any holes nibbled in the sides before you use them. These rodents will make everything to steal your food. Rats and mice are also very good at destroying almost everything. Both rats and mice have been known to gnaw through wires, pipes, insulation, wood, paper and walls. As a matter of fact, rat teeth are stronger than human teeth and they are capable of chewing through brick, concrete and sometimes even thick metal -½ inch.

2.Sqirrels

Squirrels may look sweet, fluffy and innocent in the park, but they can cause massive havoc in your attic because of their gnawing. They can be aggressive when you try to remove them from the nest. Due to their high number in the United Kingdom, if a grey squirrel is caught in a trap, it is against the law to release them back into the wild. They must be humanely destroyed. As a protected animal, the red squirrels have to be released back into the wild. It is against the law to destroy or damage their nests being used by red squirrels. It is highly recommended consulting a professional pest control company before attempting to deal with squirrel infestation because of the law.

3. Cockroaches and Flies

These particular pests can be found indoors during the winter months. They are attracted to the warmth and once they are in your property, they won't leave and even worse they will rapidly multiply. Cockroaches and flies can be easily found in restaurants and other service-industry businesses. Both flies and cockroaches can transmit different dirt, infections and diseases.

4. Hornets and Wasps

Usually, hornets and wasps are not winter pests, but you should be aware of their behaviour if you don't want to wake up to a full-blown nest in the spring. Hornet and wasp queens are not dying during the autumn like the drones. The queens are looking for a protected,warm and dry place to hibernate over the winter seasons. Attics and sheds can be the perfect place for them to settle down during the winter. When the weather begins to warm up, queens start chewing up wood to build the first comb of the nest. After that she will lay eggs to grow her new colony. Many people can be shocked to find a nest in their garden or attic that appeared overnight but actually the process began a long time ago.

Keeping Winter Pests Out Of Your Home

The method for preventing winter pest infestation during the cold season is the same for most pests. It is really important to check around the outside of your property for any small entry points and seal them up. You should be surprised to see how small a hole has to be to allow rodents to infest your home. It is also recommended to keep your bins and particularly those containing food waste securely closed and ideally to be far from the property. You should not leave any food on worktops or on the ground. Believe or not even your dog or cat food can attract rodents and other pests.

If you suspect your property has a pest infestation, contact a pest professional.