Many people think of pest problems as something that is relegated to the spring and summer. It is true that many types of pests resume or increase their activity during the warmer months of the year. Mosquitoes and ants are prime examples of pests that are most active during the spring and summer. Unfortunately for homeowners, the winter does not provide a complete reprieve from pest infestations. There are some pests that continue to be a threat throughout the winter. Four pests that you have to protect against all year long include cockroaches, rodents, termites, and bed bugs.
Cockroaches
Roaches are known for being resilient pests. They survive in a variety of situations and can cause you issues all year long. Once cockroaches get into your house, they have everything they need to survive – shelter, food, and water. Most houses make it easy for roaches to survive and procreate. A small leak in the bathroom or standing water in the kitchen sink can provide roaches with easy access to water. Crumbs on the floor, leftovers in the sink, an overflowing trashcan, or poorly closed packages in the pantry are all easy ways that roaches can access food. The temperature-controlled environment of your home also protects roaches from exposure to the elements. If roaches get into your house – no matter what season it is – they are going to continue to be a problem until you take action against them.
Rodents
Rodents can cause you problems throughout the winter months. These pests look for a warm place to spend the winter and your home can provide them with the shelter they need. As long as rodents have a warm place to stay and access to food and water, they will continue to be active in your home – no matter what season it is. Rodents can spread disease and cause damage to your home. Letting down your guard against this pest during the winter will put you at risk for an infestation.
Termites
Termites are another type of pest that will cause you problems all winter long. Termite swarmers typically go out in search of a new place to establish a colony during the warmer months. This means that if you do not have an infestation before the winter you are at a low risk of developing one during the colder months. If you do have an active termite infestation you will continue to have issues with this pest throughout the winter. In Visalia and surrounding areas, the weather does not typically get cold enough to stop termite activity.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are sensitive to extremes in temperature – both hot and cold. If bed bugs are in your home, they will not experience a swing in temperature extreme enough to impact their activity. In the temperature-controlled environment of your home or a hotel room, bed bugs can thrive no matter what the weather outside is doing. You still need to take steps when you travel in the winter to minimize your risk of getting bed bugs.
You need to proactively protect your home against pests throughout the year. The best way to do this is to set up regularly scheduled pest control services for the year. You can choose a package that includes regular treatment and preventative measures for a variety of pests. At San Joaquin Pest Control there are a number of service options that can help you keep your home free from pests in the winter and throughout the year.
