2018
What is Overwintering?
When winter comes around, you might be thinking of snuggling with a warm blanket and a nice cup of hot cocoa. But be warned that you’re not alone in that. Pests, like humans, are searching for warm places to spend the winter months and they can be enjoying the warmth and coziness of your home. This is commonly called overwintering.
Many species such as stinkbugs, boxelder bugs, beetles and rodents spend the colder months overwintering in warm places like basements and attics. You might not even realize that they are there until they start to re-emerge from their winter break.
However, rest assured that there are ways to help prevent making your home open for overwintering pests by keeping them out in the first place. Here are some ways you can do that:
SEAL CRACKS AND HOLES
Seal any of these in your home to prevent pests from entering. Walk around your home and see if you can spot any potential holes in the siding and sheetrock that might need to be caulked. Pay special consideration to areas around the doors and windows since these are prime places for insects to enter.
TAKE A LOOK AROUND YOUR PROPERTY
Get rid of any tree limbs or bushes that might be touching your house since these can be easy bridges for pests to enter your home.
INSPECT FOUNDATIONS, BASEMENTS, CRAWLSPACES AND ATTICS
Look in these areas for any signs of pests, especially rodents! These are one of the easiest places for pests to hide unnoticed in the winter because they are places where humans don’t typically spend a lot of time.
CLEAN OUT THE GUTTERS
A lot of pests get hungry and feed on the debris in the gutter. Some might actually make a home out of the built up debris in the space.
CLEAN YOUR HOME
This might seem obvious, but pay special attention to that in the winter time. Make sure to vacuum, sweep, mop and clean up any spills and messes that will attract pests to your home. The best way to help avoid pests from entering your home in the winter time is to identify the common insects that overwinter:
- Ladybugs
- Box elders
- Stink bugs
- Caterpillars
- Crickets
- Moths
- Flies
- Mosquitos
Another great alternative is to call your local pest control, like us at Gilpins Pest Control, to help take care of any overwintering pests you may have.