3 Problematic Pests to Rid Your Home of This Winter

It's winter in Minnesota. The onset of cold weather makes most people want to stay inside where it's nice and warm. You're not the only one who wants to escape the frigid weather. Some kinds of pests tend to venture indoors, too, when it's cold outside.

When pests come inside, they are seeking both food and shelter. Since many pests cause damage and spread disease, it's important to be on the lookout for them during the winter months. If you find them, you will want to get rid of them right away before they reproduce and become more problematic.

Here are three problematic pests you'll want to rid your home of this winter.

1. Mice

Mice are tiny rodents that can easily get inside the home through very small openings in the siding, or elsewhere on the home's exterior. These little pests can even get into the home through cracks in the foundation.

Despite their small size, mice can cause great amounts of damage. For instance, mice chew on electrical cords, which increases the chances of fires. These rodents also destroy drywall, wood, insulation, and plastic pipes.

Mice also love to eat food. In fact, mice eat up to 20 times a day and will contaminate your food as they eat it. Mice are notorious for spreading bacteria and disease, as well. Hantavirus and listeria are just a few of these diseases.

One reason it's so important to get rid of mice right away is that they breed year-round. Mice also have up to 8 babies per litter, which means as mice settle into your home for the winter, a few of them can quickly turn into several.

Some ways to detect mice in your home include:

• You notice mouse droppings.
• You hear noises in your walls.
• You see gnaw marks on packaged food.

It's important to note that if you see mouse droppings, don't vacuum or sweep them up as it will release bacteria into the air. Instead, spray the droppings with a disinfectant, wait about five minutes, then collect the droppings and put them into a plastic bag and in the garbage. Always wear gloves and a mask when handling mouse droppings.

2. German Cockroaches

A German cockroach is an insect that instead of flying, scurries very quickly from one place to another. They get inside the home through tiny cracks and crevices in the foundation or underneath the door. German cockroaches also make their way into your home by traveling on cardboard boxes or grocery bags.

You will know the insect is a German cockroach if it is fairly small, the body is light brown, and it has two black stripes behind its head. One place to look for German cockroaches is the bathroom or kitchen, as they like spaces that are warm and humid.

If you see a few German cockroaches in your house, you will want to get rid of them right away. One reason is that they breed very quickly. Just one female German cockroach carries many eggs.

Like mice, German cockroaches are another type of pest that carries bacteria and diseases. Dysentery and salmonella are just a few of these diseases they carry. When German cockroaches shed their skin, they can trigger asthma attacks.

Besides seeing a live German cockroach scurrying across your floor or countertop, other ways to know you have them in your home include:

• You notice a musty odor.
• You see cockroach droppings, which look like coffee grounds.
• You find a dead cockroach.

To get rid of German cockroaches, you can try to make a homemade concoction that includes sugar and baking soda. You can also create or buy your own cockroach traps. However, if you have a German cockroach infestation, it's best to call the professionals.

3. Spiders

Like other tiny pests, spiders get inside the home through cracks or holes in the siding, foundation, or other parts of the exterior. Spiders are also good at hiding on objects or pets that are brought into the home.

Many people have a fear of spiders. In fact, arachnophobia is the second most popular phobia that people have. If you are afraid of spiders, you definitely don't want them inside your home. Another reason you don't want them sharing your space is that some of them are poisonous.

While there aren't many deaths associated with spiders, spider bites can sometimes cause severe pain, as well as swelling and soreness. In the state of Minnesota, there are seven poisonous spiders that homeowners should be aware of.

These poisonous spiders include:

• Northern widow
• Wolf spider
• Black and yellow garden spider
• Yellow sac spider
• Jumping spider
• Nursery web spider
• Woodlouse hunter spider

Besides seeing spiders in basements and crawlspaces, another obvious sign of spiders in the house is seeing spider webs. For spiders that don't spin webs, you might see their sleep sac in the corner of a room.

Have you noticed any of the above problematic pests inside your home this winter? If so, contact Paffy's Pest Control. We provide professional residential pest control services in the Minneapolis area.