When summer ends, we’re all excited to see flies and mosquitoes pack their bags and leave for the winter. In fact, many pests take a vacation when the weather gets cold. However, there are a few pests out there who stick around, making even the most annoying in-laws seem like pleasant company. We’ll shed light on 5 pests who move in during the winter months and tell you how to vanquish them.

1. German Cockroaches

These guys are the most common kind of Cockroaches. They’re attracted to food and moisture, and will typically hang around your bathroom and kitchen. By sneaking in Trojan-Horse style, cockroaches will get inside your house via grocery bags, boxes, furniture, and appliances. They’re as filthy as they are crafty, contaminating food and spreading bacteria, pathogens, and allergens.

Here’s how to keep them out:

Keep your house clean of food crumbs by vacuuming regularly.
Take out your trash daily.
Use your nose! Roaches are smelly, so even if you can’t see them, you can smell them and take action.

2. Brown Recluse Spiders

The Brown Recluse is definitely an introvert in the pest personality test, typically hiding out in dark places like closets, crawl spaces, attics, and basements. They may not be after your food but they do bite and inject venom, so they’re dangerous to have around. Seek medical attention immediately if you you’ve been bitten. We wouldn’t want that to happen, so here’s how to keep them out:

Trim plants growing too closely to your home.
Keep clothes and shoes that you’re storing for the winter in airtight plastic bins.

3. House Mice

Mice are the most commonly encountered rodent in the country, renting real estate in people’s attics and basements. They may be quick, tiny, and hard to catch, but you don’t have to have any in your own home. They’re not harmless! Mice can chew on your cords and your drywall. These resourceful little arsonists have been known to gnaw at wires and cause electrical fires. They also contaminate food, spreading salmonella, leptospirosis, and tapeworms.

How to keep them out:

Seal all cracks and holes on the outside of your house using caulk and steel wool so they can’t sneak in.
Clean your home because mice love to hide in messes.
Look out for signs of their presence – droppings, chewed on food, and other gnaw marks.

4. Norway Rats

Norway Rats are garden variety rats, so they’re basically the larger, scarier, and more vicious cousin of house mice. These evil creatures will nest in your home and can even gnaw their way through lead pipes! They carry the same diseases spread by the smaller mice, plus others like jaundice, rat-bite fever, and cowpox virus.

How to keep them out:

Seal all outside holes using silicone caulk.
Eliminate sources of moisture in basements and other crawl spaces.
Inspect for signs of their presence, which are the same as those of the mice, plus greasy rub marks made by the rat’s oily fur.

5. Raccoons

Some have called raccoons cute, and have been impressed by their intelligence. Those people have never encountered the wild, violent nature of these animals. In addition, raccoons are a major host of rabies. You don’t want rabies.

How to keep them out:

Store your garbage and recycling bins in a locked shed or outhouse. If you don’t have one, choose bins with animal-proof lids.
Check the outside of your home for entry points such as broken or loose vent covers, siding, or shingles.
Cover chimneys and other openings with a mesh cap.
Trim tree branches away from your roof.

If they become too troublesome and these tips don’t work, please check out our Animal Removal Services.

With these tips in action, you can cozy up this winter without these cold weather pests around. As always, if you are looking for a pest control specialist in the Modesto area, give AAI Pest Control a call today!