Most Common Winter Pests

As too many too often learn, such pests don't go completely inactive in the winter. In fact, when it is cold and wet or snowy outside, pests are even more likely to seek the warmth and shelter of the indoors.

Following are brief descriptions of some of the most common winter pests and links to articles with guidance for control:

1. Winged Carpenter Ants - Flying ants in the home are rarely a good sign, and this is particularly true if they are seen indoors during the winter. Finding a winged ant or two indoors during the summer does not necessarily mean there is a problem, but if winged ants are seen in the home during the winter months, there is a strong likelihood that there is a carpenter ant nest within the structure.
2. Cluster Fly - Homeowners generally expect to have to swat a fly or two in the house during the summer months.But what is an expected annoyance in the summer can be exasperating in the winter when doors and windows are sealed tight, and one wouldn't think that any flies are existing in the cold outdoors to come inside. So where are they coming from?
3. Mice - A wily, curious creature, the house mouse is the most common of home-invading mice. Cute, perhaps, in a cage in the pet store, but not so cute when it decides to make your house its home.
4. Rats - Two species of rodents are most common in the U.S.: the Norway rat and the roof rat. Along with the common house mouse, both rats are believed to have been brought to the U.S. aboard ships bound for the New World in the 17th and 18th centuries.
5. Bed bugs - For decades, the saying “Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite” was a fairly meaningless lights-out phrase for kids in the U.S. But within the last few years, bed bugs have reappeared, causing sleepless nights for homeowners and hotel owners alike.
6. Fruit Fly - The fruit fly is one of the most common, and one of the smallest flies found in the home. It is often unknowingly brought into the home on fresh fruits and vegetables. 
7. Moth Fly - Moth flies (Psychoda sp.) are a common small fly generally seen buzzing around drains - thus its common name of drain fly. Though it causes no real damage, its high numbers can cause it to become a nuisance pest in or around the home.
8. Spiders - There are more than 35,000 known spider species in the world, with only about a tenth (3,500) of those appearing in the U.S. and often only one tenth (350) of those in any single region. In general, spiders are beneficial creatures, preying and feeding on flies, crickets, mites, and other household and yard pests. Most are completely harmless to humans. But when they get into your home, they can definitely be a nuisance.
9. Overwintering Insects - Any discussion of insects over the winter is likely to elicit the term "overwintering." While its meaning can be as simple as indicating how an insect (or other animal or plant) spends its time over the winter, it more frequently is used to refer to a sort of hibernation undertaken by insects in order to survive the cold temperatures.
10.  Firewood Pests - A wood-burning stove or fireplace can bring a great deal of warmth, comfort and pleasing aesthetics into a home. However the firewood that is brought into the home for that fire can also bring with it a number of household pests.

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Winterize Your Home and Keep Pests Out

Eliminate Habitat

Inspect your home’s exterior to locate and remove potential pest and insect habitats. Typically, insects seek areas that offer moisture, food and shelter – places to rest, reproduce or hide from predators.

So think like an insect. Look for bug-size bridges, things that could give nonflying pests a leg up onto your home’s structure. Also scout for places of refuge, spots where pests can hide out. Take the following home pest control measures to minimize pest and insect invasions:

• Clean out gutters and downspouts. Accumulated debris can provide habitat for insects.
• Check downspouts to ensure they direct all water away from your home.
• Eliminate debris resting against or near the house, including rock or compost piles, old boards, or bricks.
• Store firewood outdoors and away from the house.
• Pull mulch back so it’s not resting against the house.
• Store trash cans away from your home. Trash offers a food source that’s appealing to insects and other vermin. Keep cans tightly closed at all times.
• Shift plantings so they’re not directly touching the foundation. Prune tree limbs that overhang gutters or roof lines, and trim shrubs that rub against a wall, porch or deck.
• Remove autumn leaves that collect against the house, porch and other outside structures.
• Replace exterior lights. Trade traditional bulbs, which lure insects, with yellow or sodium vapor lights.

Seal Openings

Inspect your home’s exterior carefully and take steps to seal any openings you find. This not only can help keep insect pests out, but also can help keep the heat in and cold air out.

• Replace screens with storm windows. If you leave screens in year-round, make sure they fit tightly and don’t have holes, tears or other openings.
• Check seals around entry doors and crawl space openings. Replace worn weather stripping and caulk or repair as needed.
• Inspect basement windows. If concrete is chipping or broken, replace it.
• Examine the foundation. Seal cracks and crevices with caulk or concrete. Stuff steel wool into holes.
• Look at eaves and facia boards carefully, and examine flashing. Damp wood is an invitation to insect pests. Replace any rotting wood.
• Double-check attic vents to ensure seals are tight.

Information on Disease from Rats - Part 2

Diseases Directly Transmitted by Rats

• Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. This is a viral disease that is transmitted by the rice rat. This disease is spread in one of three ways: inhaling dust that is contaminated with rat urine or droppings, direct contact with rat feces or urine, and infrequently due to the bite of rat.
• Leptospirosis. This is a bacterial disease that can be transmitted by coming into contact with infected water by swimming, wading or kayaking or by contaminated drinking water. Individuals may be at increased risk of Leptospirosis infections if they work outdoors or with animals.
• Rat-bite Fever. This disease may be transmitted through a bite, scratch or contact with a dead rat.
• Salmonellosis. Consuming food or water that is contaminated by rat feces bacteria can cause this disease.

Diseases Indirectly Transmitted by Rats

• Plague. This disease is carried by rats and transmitted by fleas in the process of taking a blood meal. Domestic rats are the most common reservoir of plague.
• Colorado Tick Fever. This is a viral disease that is transmitted by the bite of a tick that has taken a blood meal from a bushy-tailed woodrat.
• Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. This disease is a parasite that is transmitted to a person by the bite of an infected sand fly that has fed on a wild woodrat.

Hantavirus

Some species of rats such as the cotton rat or rice rat are known carriers of hantavirus. Norway rats and roof rats are not known transmitters of hantavirus. Victims may be debilitated and can experience difficulty breathing. Hantavirus is transmitted to humans when they inhale airborne particles from rodent droppings, urine or carcasses that have been disturbed.

The first symptoms of the virus can be mistaken for the flu. Patients then suffer breathing difficulties that may prove fatal if not treated effectively and immediately.

In order to avoid hantavirus, all mouse feces, nest materials and dead rodents must be removed from the home. Spray suspected areas thoroughly with disinfectant before sweeping to avoid having anything become airborne. Use gloves to handle rodent carcasses or droppings and a respirator must be worn with functioning cartridges. Buildings should be aired out following an infestation. Not all rodents have been found to carry hantavirus. Deer mice, cotton rats, rice rats and white-footed mice are the most common transmitters. However, everyone should use caution in dealing with rodents or rodent infestations and contact a pest control professional.

Information on Diseases from Rats - Part 1

Information on Diseases from Rats - Part 1

Rat bites and scratches can result in disease and rat-bite fever. Rat urine is responsible for the spread of leptospirosis, which can result in liver and kidney damage. It can also be contracted through handling or inhalation of scat. Complications include renal and liver failure, as well as cardiovascular problems.

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), a viral infectious disease, is transmitted through the saliva and urine of rats. Some individuals experience long-term effects of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, while others experience only temporary discomfort.

One of the most historically dangerous rat-borne diseases is the bubonic plague, also called “Black Plague,” and its variants. Transfer occurs when fleas from the rats bite human beings. Fleas transported on rats are considered responsible for this plague during the Middle Ages, which killed millions. From the transmission of bubonic plague to typhus and hantavirus, rat infestations can prove harmful to human health.

Rats also are a potential source of allergens. Their droppings, dander and shed hair can cause people to sneeze and experience other allergic reactions.

Diseases transmitted by rats fall into one of two categories: diseases transmitted directly from exposure to rat-infected feces, urine or bites and diseases indirectly transmitted to people by an intermediate arthropod vector such as fleas, ticks or mites. While the following list of diseases or medical conditions are all associated with rats, most are not commonly encountered in the United States.

Behavior, Diet and Habitat of Rats

Rat Behavior - When rat populations are large, a hierarchy develops within a burrow. Stronger individuals become dominant, while weaker ones are subordinate. Males no longer protect female burrows. When a female is estrous, several males mate with her sequentially, in the order of their social dominance.

Rats exhibit aggressive behavior when threatened. They may fight, chase, bite and box. Rats also display some behaviors such as sidling and belly-up defensive postures.

Rats dwell in cities, suburbs and rural areas. They are capable of thriving in human environments are therefore are considered a commensal rodent. Rats are known to travel great distances and are wary of unknown objects in their established foraging paths. This skepticism can make trapping a rat particularly difficult for a homeowner.

Rat Diet - Rats are fairly opportunistic feeders. They will feed on a array of items from carcasses to fallen fruit. Human environments provide them an abundance of resources. Particular species of rat may have tendency for certain foods. Norway rats often prefer foods high in protein such as meat scraps or pet food. Roof rats usually prefer fruit, which is why people often refer to them as fruit rats. They may be attracted to areas with fruit tress.

When living near humans, the availability of foods will drive a rodent’s habits. They often will travel outdoors and indoors searching for nutrition. They can take advantage of many food sources such as garbage cans, open containers of food, pet food bowls, and they will even cannibalize their own dead. Homeowners should try to eliminate or minimize the abundance of rodent food sources as well as contacting a pest control professional.

Rat Habitat - Rat species are either terrestrial or arboreal in nature, although rats preferring one habitat are capable of inhabiting others. The Norway rat and roof rat are the two most common North American rat species. They are terrestrial and arboreal, respectively.

 Norway rats are most commonly burrowers. They build their nests outside the walls of homes or in various clumps of vegetation. Norway rats may also construct their homes beneath the edges of sidewalks or patios.

As is implied by their name, roof rats prefer arboreal habitats. They live in yucca, palm and cypress trees, as well as in elevated areas of human homes. Roof rats can be found living in attics, rafters, eaves and on roofs. They may also choose to nest in nonarboreal vegetation, such as shrubs, honeysuckle and tall grasses.

Rats

Rats

The most common rats are the black or roof rat and the brown Norway rat. Both species typically live a year or less and can grow in excess of 40 cm.

Effective rat control begins with prevention. All possible entry points, such as sewers and air vents, should be sealed against rodents. Rats can enter through a hole as small as a quarter (25¢), so even very small holes should be sealed. Rats often enter by climbing trees and coming through broken screens or vents.

In order to address an existing rat population, it is necessary to identify and eliminate their feeding, drinking and dwelling sites. Pet food is an incentive for rodents and should be kept in tightly sealed containers. All human food should be stored likewise. Any standing water or moisture leaks should be addressed. Trash should be disposed of properly, and sanitary conditions should be observed. Wood piles and other rodent shelter sites such overgrown weedy areas should be eliminated.

Various rat traps and possible rodenticides are commercially available. However, because rats tend to avoid unfamiliar objects, it is often necessary to enlist the services of a local pest control professional when attempting to control an existing rat population.

Rats are responsible for having been carriers of fleas which spread deadly plagues throughout history. They are still known to be carriers of various diseases. 

Following our blog to learn more about rats!

More Information about House Mice

House Mouse Control Tips

To prevent mice from entering the home, all cracks, crevices, holes and gaps larger than a pen cap should be sealed with cement or a mixing compound. It is not advised that wood be used to seal these holes, as mice are capable of chewing through those surfaces.

Cleanliness may also have an effect on pest infestations. Be sure to wash dishes immediately following use. Food should be stored in glass or metal containers with tight lids. Mice acquire most of their water from scavenged food particles and no crumbs or morsels should be left on tabletops or floors.

When a home is already infested, prevention methods prove inefficient. The most effective mouse control methods are those administered by trainedprofessionals.

More Information on the Common House Mouse

The house mouse is a small mammal named for its propensity to live within human habitats. Next to humans, the common house mouse is one of the most prevalent mammalian species in the world. Native to Asia, these rodents have spread throughout the world. They are most commonly seen living within or near human habitations. They may also be used as laboratory subjects and contribute greatly to scientific studies.

House mice walk, run and stand on all fours. They can stand on the hind legs, as well, and are supported by the tail, which also provides balance while in motion. The house mouse has a sharp sense of hearing and communicates with other house mice through squeaks. Some of these squeaks are audible to humans, while others extend into the ultrasonic range. The common house mouse weighs between 12 to 22 grams and may grow up 20 cm in length. They are black to light brown or gray in color, with short hair and lighter bellies