Winter is a time for cuddling, cozying, and looking for all the ways to stay warm. Whether you crank the heater up, light a fire in the fireplace, or bundle up under a bunch of blankets, know that the pests outside are also seeking a warm place to stay for the season.
Why Pest Control in the Winter?
It’s a common myth that bugs disappear throughout the colder months and are nothing to worry about until things begin warming back up in the winter. It’s true that the number of insects, arachnids, rodents, and other household pests decreases whenever temperatures drop, but they do not go away entirely. The reality is that pests can remain a major problem, no matter how cold it gets outside. In fact, the warmer you keep your house, the more attractive it is to bugs, spiders, mice, and other pests that have not yet found a place to stay for the season.
The last thing you want is to deal with pests like roaches, ants, spiders, and rodents under your roof all season long. If they do make their way inside, you could face consequences like:
Roach-Related Allergies and Asthma
For many, the mere sight of a roach in the house is enough of a reason to schedule a pest control service in the winter. But beyond their creepy, stomach-churning appearance, roaches in the house can cause family members who are sensitive to their proteins to experience wintertime allergies and asthma. Roaches shed body parts and leave droppings that contain certain proteins many people are allergic to. Without proper pest control, you could experience an influx of roaches inside throughout the winter and, therefore, experience more allergy symptoms throughout the cold months.
Health Risks and House Damage From Rodents
Rodents like mice and rats seek shelter in people’s homes when it’s cold outside. Once they find their way in, they make themselves at home by nesting in quiet areas like basements or attics, urinating and defecating all over available surfaces, and gnawing on furniture, boxes, doors, wood structures, wires, and so much more.
As a result, you or your family could suffer from health hazards caused by the presence of rodents in the house. Just some of the health hazards rodents can cause or carry include:
- Viral infections like hantavirus or lymphocytic choriomeningitis
- Full-body illnesses like rat-bite fever
- Bacterial infections like salmonella, tularemia, or leptospirosis
- Allergies
You could also experience damage to your house as a result of having rats or mice inside during the winter. Some house fires have been traced back to mice or rats in the attic that chewed through electrical wires. Other homes have suffered structural damage after the rodents chewed through exposed wooden studs, beams, and joists in the attic.
Jump Scares and Health Scares From Spiders
Like roaches, spiders are unsightly creatures that can cause people to grimace or even panic at the sight of them. For some people, the presence of spiders can result in jump scares so extreme that they end up knocking over lamps, bumping into furniture, or retreating in such a fast, instinctive way that it leads to some form of property damage, physical injury, or both.
Whether you’re deathly afraid of spiders or mildly inconvenienced by them, having them in your home over the winter season can lead to increased chances of experiencing spider bites. Nonvenomous spider bites can cause pain, swelling, and tenderness at the bite site. Venomous spider bites, on the other hand, require you to seek immediate medical attention. If left untreated, a venomous spider’s bite could lead to:
- Breathing trouble
- Cramping
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Open sore at the bite site
- Rapid heartbeat
- Vision issues
If you’ve spotted brown recluse or black widow spiders in your home, call for spider control treatment right away to ensure your family’s safety.
Stay Safe and Warm All Season Long With Pest Control for the Winter from Bizzy Bee Exterminators.
We treat homes all year long, delivering the solutions you need to enjoy a pest-free home no matter the season.
Call us for winter pest control today: 1-800-273-4958
Recent Articles