As fall approaches, it can get a little chilly in the Bay Area. Flip flops and short sleeves tend to get stored, and long-sleeved shirts and hoodies get pulled out of storage. Bay Area pests are also noticing the cooler weather, and they are eye-balling your home for the warmth, shelter, food, and moisture they need to make it through to spring.
How To Determine Which Pests Get More Aggressive As Bay Area Weather Cools
Overwintering means spending the winter. Cooler weather can trigger pests in the Bay Area to become more aggressive in their hunt for cozy winter accommodations in the fall.
Some pests that could be on their way to your home include the following:
- Rats/Mice: Mice and rats seeking warm shelters that provide food and moisture will begin looking for any gaps, cracks, or voids that will allow access to your home. Homes can be entered from above by roof rats who use tree limbs to bridge the gap between the ground and the top of your home.
- Stink Bugs: Stink bugs have an internal clock that lets them know it's time to hunker down before it gets chilly. Shorter days will find large numbers of stink bugs invading homes looking for warm places that provide protected areas where they can enter diapause (a time of suspended development).
- Cockroaches: Cockroaches who live primarily outdoors will enter the diapause stage and hunker down outside in the cool weather. However, if they can access your home and get the food, warmth, and moisture they require, they will enter your home en masse and stay active all winter long.
It's important to take steps to prevent these invaders before they make their way into your Bay Area home.
What Everyone Ought To Know About The Problems Overwintering Pests Cause
Overwintering pests can cause a whole host of problems for homeowners. Mice and rats are outright destructive, ruining insulation with their nest building. Their gnawing can destroy electrical wires and woodwork. Mice, rats, and cockroaches can contaminate food and cause asthma and allergy flare-ups; these three can also transmit some nasty diseases. While stink bugs are mainly a nuisance, they have a particular odor that invites their buddies to join them, making life for the humans inside uncomfortable.
The Secret To Overwintering Pest Prevention In The Bay Area
Defending homes against aggressive pests begins with fall prevention. There are steps that homeowners can take to deter overwintering pests.
Nine fall prevention techniques include:
- Replacing worn weatherstripping
- Fixing loose mortar
- Sealing gaps, crevices, and voids with silicone-based caulk
- Trimming tree limbs and bushes near your home
- Storing firewood 20 feet away from your home
- Decluttering basements, utility rooms, and attics.
- Sealing food in glass or metal containers with tight-fitting lids
- Keeping your home vacuumed and clean
- Placing a cap on chimneys and using wire mesh to cover roof openings
Winter months can cause even the best home defenses to crack. Ongoing professional pest control and homeowner's vigilance can help prevent even the craftiest critters from entering your home during the heart of winter. Checking and upgrading fall prevention measures throughout the cold months goes a long way in stopping pests from getting cozy inside your home.
The Best Way To Deter Pests From Overwintering In Your Bay Area Home
As the weather cools, Bay Pest is ready to help homeowners seal off their homes from invading critters. We have specially designed pest control programs that protect your home year-round. Our treatments are guaranteed, and we make sure our customers are 100% satisfied with our services. Call Bay Pest today for your free estimate.