Where Do Pests Go in the Winter

You’ll notice a significant drop in pest numbers outside once the temperature drops and snow arrives, but just because they’re out of sight doesn’t necessarily mean they should be out of mind. Pest control might still be needed for your home in the winter!

Spiders

Many homeowners live in fear during the winter that they will be barraged by spiders seeking a warm place to outlast the winter, but nearly all the spiders that you encounter within your home have been living with you for months. In fact, most common house spiders don’t migrate indoors seeking warmth; they were likely born there and have never even seen the outdoors. So what happens to the spiders who live outside when winter comes? Many enter a state of low-activity and seek shelter from the frigid temperatures in piles of leaves, wood, rocks, dirt, emerging only on warmer days to hunt for food.

Cockroaches

It’s strange to think of cockroaches getting cold, with their hard exoskeletons that would seem to make them impervious to it, but most can’t survive in low temperatures. Warmth, food, and shelter are essential to their survival, so during the winter months, they’ll often move indoors in search of a safe place to hibernate for the winter and easy access those necessities when they wake up. Unfortunately, your home is a popular destination. They’ll hide in dark, warm areas such as basements, cabinets, behind counters, or beneath sinks; wherever is easiest for them to easily sneak out of to find food once your home’s heater kicks on and tricks them into thinking it’s springtime. To prevent a mid-winter infestation, make sure that any food in your home is sealed and safely stored away, and that your counters and floors are thoroughly cleaned.

Rodents

Rats, mice, and other rodents don’t typically hibernate in the winter, staying just as active as they would be in summer months in spite of the low-temperatures. Unfortunately for homeowners, homes provide the perfect shelter for rodents to withstand the cold. Squeezing through cracks and small holes, burrowing under floors, climbing up drains, chewing through cables–they’ll get creative finding ways to stay warm and have enough resources to survive the winter. The best way to deter rodents from your home is to pay attention to small details. Look for possible entry points that could be closed off, no matter how small, and exercise good sanitation and cleaning habits.

Mosquitos

Mosquitos are a well-known summer pest, so what happens to them when the winter season begins? Despite popular belief, most don’t disappear because they die; they’re cold-blooded insects that thrive in high temperatures, usually over 80 degrees, so when the weather cools (lower than 50 degrees) they’ll go into hibernation. It’s possible that they can seek shelter in parts of your home such as basements or a warm spot in your garage, but most will find animal tunnels or sewers to wait out the harsh winter weather. Mosquitos can also survive the cold as eggs, waiting until warmer weather to hatch. Any type of standing water in your yard can serve as a home to these larval mosquitoes through the winter.

Saela provides both residential and commercial services including: Pests, Mosquitoes, Rodents, Fleas & Bed Bugs.

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