Winter Pest Prevention Tips

You thought pests are a problem in the summer months? You will be surprised to see what’s in store for you in the winter. British Columbia is warmer than most other provinces in Canada which means great weather year-round for you, and a host of dreadful bugs. Cold weather attracts an army of rodents too. Expect your home to be invaded by rats, mice, squirrels and more, looking for a warm place to snuggle. It’s hard to tackle them all on your own. Here, let the experts at Gilpins Pest Control give you a hand.

TIPS TO KEEP WINTER PEST FREE

Rats and Rodents: Rats and mice have a way of sneaking into the tidiest homes. They don’t come alone. They carry bacteria that multiplies faster than them, spreading diseases in both humans and pets. That’s not all. They gnaw on everything in sight, chew wires creating the possibility of a fire, damage the structure of your home and contaminate food. If you spot one, you will know there are many others lurking about. Rats and mice are as family oriented as you. If you see one, there are chances of a whole family hiding in your home. Here’s what you should do to get rid of them:

• Store food in sealed, airtight containers
• Don’t keep half opened food boxes lying around
• Clean up food spills and messes after meals instantly
• Empty out the garbage every day
• Place pest resistant screens on vents and openings
• Look for holes in damp corners, around pipes and drains and seal them
• Replace loose weather stripping or mortar lined at the edge of windows and doors
• Check if the gutter is clogged with debris and have it flushed out professionally
• Store firewood on higher ground or well away from your home
• Trim overhanging branches and thick bushes where rodents seek shelter
• Store pet food and water in well-lit open areas
• Call professional pest control services before they get out of hand

Winged Carpenter Ants: Carpenter ants usually hover outdoors with their entire colony of friends and relatives but if you happen to find a few inside your home, you know it’s time to take them out. It’s quite possible that there is a nest in or around your home. Talking of winged insects, keep an eye out for flies too.

Flies: If you see all kinds of winged insects entering your home, first clean your home thoroughly, then call pest control for a thorough job. They are usually attracted by the smell of food. Fruit flies are one of the smallest flies that make their presence felt in homes. Look out for drain flies or moth flies that love to annoy your pests.

Bed Bugs: If you or your children wake up in the morning with little red insect bites, inspect the mattress closely for bed bugs. They usually don’t survive temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. In temperatures a little over 0, they enter a state of hibernation that increases their chances of surviving. You can see why they love British Columbia. There are three things you can do to get rid of them: Collect them all in a container and leave them to die in a freezer (quite an impossible task); use a portable bed bug heater to kill them; or simply call the pest control experts if there are too many of them for you to tackle.

Spiders: Did you know that there are over 35,000 known spider species in the world. Of these, 3,500 wander about North America and 350 can be found in a single region. Spiders are not always harmful. They trap and feast on flies, mites, and crickets. They are usually respectful towards humans but not often a pretty sight, especially for your kids. If you find cobwebs here and there, you know that spiders have invaded your privacy.

GILPIN’S PEST CONTROL, GREATER VANCOUVER

If you see pests and rodents sharing space with you in your home in Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland and surrounding areas, take them out at once. Call Gilpin’s Pest Control before they multiply and ruin your peace of mind.