Few of us celebrate the end of summer but one good thing about the colder months is that we no longer have to deal with the likes of mosquitos, ants, bees and wasps. While these pests may be a thing of the past for now, the onset of winter does unfortunately bring about a new selection of creatures we’d rather not encounter.
Below we’ve highlighted our top five winter pests and how to spot the signs of them in your home or business premises.
Rodents
Rodents are a common winter pest and unfortunately, they can cause significant damage to your property. They will generally do everything they can to avoid human contact and they like to hide in dark, undisturbed places so you may not even notice you have an infestation until they’ve been around for some time.
It’s very important to deal with a rodent infestation as soon as you suspect one because rats and mice are known to chew through drywall and electrical wires which can be a big fire hazard. What’s more, they also carry a number of diseases including salmonella and tapeworm.
Signs of a rodent infestation include:
• Droppings
• Gnaw marks on furniture
• Oily scuff marks on skirting boards
• Burrows have been dug around your property
• You notice a strange smell – mice have a characteristic damp, musky odour
We can help with any rodent pest control, whether in your home of business premises.
Cockroaches
We may associate cockroaches with warm, tropical climates but believe it or not, cockroaches can be found in the UK during the winter months. Although less common, if you are unfortunate enough to suffer an infestation, it will more than likely be a large one. As they’re attracted to the warmth, they’ll make themselves comfortable and multiply very quickly.
Signs of cockroaches include:
• An unusual smell – an established cockroach infestation produces a lingering and unpleasant odour that taints anything they come into contact with. Even if you haven’t seen any, if you notice a strange smell, you may still have an infestation
• Droppings
• Smear marks at the bottom of walls
• Cockroaches shed their skin up to eight times before they mature to adults so you’re likely to notice this
Do you suspect you may have a cockroach infestation? Our experts can eradicate the issue in not time at all.
Spiders
As the temperature drops you will notice an increase in the number of spiders making their way into your home. While this doesn’t bother some people, others are very scared of these insects and find their presence quite distressing.
The vast majority of spiders found in the UK are perfectly harmless and they’re generally just as scared of us as we are of them so will do a good job of keeping well hidden. Unless you happen to spot one, the only other sign of an infestation is webs around your home. The best way to prevent them making their way inside is to limit their food source (other dead insects) and keep your home clean and clutter-free.
Cluster flies
The presence of flies during the winter months isn’t an issue because they hibernate but the problem is where they’re nesting. It’s very common for cluster flies to make their way into people’s homes and hibernate in quiet, undisturbed areas such as attics and wall voids. Once spring comes around and the flies come out of hibernation, you may find yourself facing an unwanted infestation.
Wasps and hornets
Unlike the drones which die in the autumn, wasps and hornet queens find somewhere warm, dry and protected to hibernate over the winter months. Although they won’t bother you at this time of year, it can be very distressing to face an active wasps nest once the weather starts warming up.
Thoroughly check wall cavities, roof spaces, under eaves, bird boxes, sheds and garages for wasps and hornets which may be hibernating.
If you would like help dealing with winter pests, please feel free to contact Prokill and we will be more than happy to help. Our accredited experts will be happy to provide you with a free, no obligation quote. What’s more, because we have a team of local experts, you can rest assured that there won’t be any long waiting times to get an appointment. Contact us online or call us on
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