Do You Need Pest Control in the Winter?

Pest control is a successful way that millions of people reduce bugs in their homes. It’s common to use pest services during warm months, but many think pest control isn’t necessary during the winter. While it’s easy to assume that all bugs disappear when it gets cold, this simply isn’t true. Many people actually notice an increase of household bugs during the winter seasons, or experience bugs hibernating in their homes until spring.

This article will share more on the subject, including what winter insects to watch out for and who should utilize pest control during these months.

Winter Insects

Before we get deeper into pest control, let’s start with a brief introduction to pests in the winter. Many people assume all bugs die off in the winter, but this isn’t true for plenty of species. Many of them actually go into a form of hibernation, called overwintering. Some will do this in soil or under rocks, while others choose to crawl into homes for protection.

Most of the winter insects that take refuge in buildings will remain dormant until spring, when they start becoming active. So, even if you don’t use winter pest control and don’t see bugs inside your house during winter, they could likely be hiding until it gets warmer.

The particular types of winter insects to watch out for depends on your location and other factors. For example, firewood and Christmas Trees can easily bring in unwanted insects. A few other common winter insects include stink bugs, Asian ladybugs, various spiders, cluster flies, boxelder bugs, and more.

How Often Should Pest Control Be Done?

Ultimately, the goal of pest control is to keep bugs from entering your home to avoid infestations. Missing your regular pest control in the winter can be risky because it creates opportunity for bugs to easily crawl inside, potentially creating an infestation.

Pest control treatments should be applied regularly depending on your needs. This helps keep pests away and avoid infestations (which will cost much more than routine pest control). However, some homes may need it more or less often depending on a variety of factors. Pest control in the winter is definitely important for most homes.

Who Needs Winter Pest Control?

Some homes will be more prone to pest infestations, so pest control during the winter will be more important. So, what types of buildings should use pest control during cold months?

Homes That Are More Prone to Pests

Some homes and areas are more prone to insects. The more bugs you see during the warm seasons, the more you will find inside during winter. Similar to when it rains, many bugs like to migrate to homes when it starts to get cold. They may also be more attracted to your home because of pet food left out, damp areas in the home, or dirty garbage cans. Even the cleanest houses can attract bugs like cockroaches.

The type of home also plays a factor. When comparing a cabin in the forest with a duplex in the suburbs, it’s easy to guess which home has more pest problems. The duplex might survive fine without winter pest control, but the cabin in the woods is another story. It could easily attract spiders, mice, mosquitoes, raccoons, skunks, pantry pests, and many others. Even if you appreciate your beneficial garden pests, you probably don’t appreciate when you find them crawling around your house.

Should You Hire a Professional?

Overall, we absolutely recommend hiring a professional when it comes to applying these potentially harmful pesticides. There is a reason Aptive Environmental pest experts have extensive training – it can be dangerous to apply pesticides without the proper knowledge.

If you have an infestation, give your local Aptive Environmental a call for effective pest control and take advantage of our treatment plans to keep your home protected all year long.