Winter Pest Control 101

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are notorious home invaders. They breed quickly and form nests inside your house. Though there are several types of cockroaches, they each have a flattened, oval body with long antennae and six spined legs. They can enter your house in a multitude of ways — via packages and cardboard boxes, through small cracks and gaps in the wall and doors, through plumbing line entry points, and on secondhand furniture. Once established, they seek food sources, leaving a trail of bacteria and sometimes dangerous diseases like salmonella or staphylococcus. They’ve also been linked to intestinal illnesses, including diarrhea and typhoid fever. Their molted skins, feces and shells can even irritate asthma and allergy symptoms in some people.

Telltale signs of cockroaches are:

• Droppings, which may resemble small black specks of pepper on the floor or in nests.
• Molted cockroach skins or shells in corners or on countertops.
• Chew marks on furniture, paper products, walls, food packaging and fabrics, including leather.
• A strong, musty odor on or near surfaces.
• Visible bean-shaped eggs, which roaches lay in oval-shaped capsules.

Spiders

Spiders make their way indoors throughout the year, but the most common winter species are the American house spider, the wolf spider, the brown recluse, and daddy long legs. While many spiders enter your home through cracks and open windows, most of them were likely born there. Spiders are adept at hiding in places like your basement, attic, crawl space, and closets, leaving eggs wherever they make their home. They are persistent in undisturbed areas around your property, like storage items or unused closets.

Aside from being disturbing roommates for many homeowners, most spiders are fairly harmless. The most significant spider-related concern in the winter is the brown recluse spider, which is very dangerous. They inject venom into bite victims, which could be you or your pets.

If you think you might have spiders in your house, look for simple or intricate webs in the corners of walls or along air ducts and rafters. Another common sign is silken bundles, or sacs, of spider eggs deposited on surfaces or in secluded areas of the house.

Termites

Homeowners fear termite infestations because of the extensive — and expensive — structural damage they leave in their wake. As they feed, they can ruin furniture, walls, porches, decks, and even some foundations. They’re also known to eat paper products, including books, as well as insulation and live plants. They can even ruin your electrical wiring and cause shortages or system failure. Though they resemble ants, termites’ wings are equal in size and they have straight or drooped antennae. They burrow into walls and other vulnerable areas, feeding and creating hollowed spots for their colonies.

You might have termites if you’ve experienced:

• Live sightings around doors and windows.
• Thin deposits of mud “tubes” along the interior and exterior of your house.
• Damaged wood, drywall, or paper products.
• New or worsening wall cavities.
• Small deposits of soil, especially near areas with visible damage.

Silverfish

Silverfish are wingless, half-inch insects with long, curved antennae and three bristles on their rear. As their name suggests, they have a metallic, silver appearance with dark markings. Silverfish thrive in warm, damp environments, so you may find them near plumbing, in bathrooms or under the sink. They feed on whatever they can find — food, paper, packaging, other insects and even fellow silverfish. Despite their unsettling appearance, they pose no health risk to humans.

Some signs of a silverfish infestation are:

• Small, black dropping or molted skins.
• Yellow stains on walls and belongings.
• Live sightings or visible damage.

House Mice

House mice vary between light and dark shades of grey and brown, with lighter bellies and rounded bodies. They have black eyes, large ears, and hairy tails. Mice are nocturnal, preferring to scavenge for food and move to other areas of your home while you’re sleeping. Though they’ll often eat whatever they can find, they prefer to snack frequently throughout the night on high-fat and high-protein foods like fatty meats, butter, sugars, and grains.

A few signs of house mice in your home are:

• Squeaking, rattling, or scurrying sounds in your walls, attic, or rooms.
• Mouse holes in your walls, including inside cabinets, pantries, and closets.
• Distinctive teeth marks on wires, furniture, walls, or food left on the counter.
• Mouse nests, which look like piles of random debris, like cardboard, cloth, newspaper, and other litter.
• Smudges of dirt along baseboards and walls indicate mouse travel.
• Mouse droppings that are black, cylindrical, and usually a quarter of an inch long.

Norway Rats

The brown Norway rat is larger than the average house mouse at roughly 16 inches in length. They have short fur that covers everything but their ears and long tails. They will consume nearly anything, including human and pet food, plants, and other animals, like fellow rodents. Female rats can have up to seven litters each year, with litters containing an average of eight pups each time. Though these rats have poor vision, they are adept travelers, relying largely on hearing and smell. Rats have been known to transmit potentially dangerous diseases and viruses to humans, including hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, hemorrhagic fever, rat-bite fever, and salmonellosis. 

You might be dealing with Norway rats if you notice things like:

• Large, noticeably visible teeth marks on furniture and walls.
• Loud or heavy thumps and running in your attic or walls.
• Rat droppings, which are larger than a mouse’s and highly dangerous.
• Trails of grease smudges along your walls or floors, which signifies frequent travel along that route.
• Debris and trash-filled rat nests close to food and water sources.

Raccoons

Compared to other pests, raccoons are instantly recognizable. They are mixed shades of grey, red and brown, with dark hair around their eyes and rings on their tails. Their hands and feet are thin and limber, allowing them to grip easily. The average raccoon is about 13 pounds and between 23 and 37 inches in length. Fortunately, females only produce litters once per year, averaging about four younglings each time.

These nocturnal creatures tend to sleep heavily — but not hibernate — during the winter, but they may also enter warm homes. Common entry points are vulnerable areas in the attic or roof, which they can access from nearby trees or by scaling up the side of your home. Inside, raccoons are fast, nimble climbers, allowing them to access and grab food easily. They enjoy feeding on fruits, nuts, and corn, but will also eat garbage, rodents, insects, and eggs. They use their heightened sense of hearing to hide when you or a potential predator comes their way. Raccoons create dens, where they store their uneaten food, garbage, and other things they pick up along the way. Some raccoons may enter and exit your house throughout the season, depending on perceived threat and food availability.

Signs of raccoons in your home include:

• Unexplained thumping or loud running in your attic, especially at night.
• The presence of nesting materials, like leaves, insulation, and fabric.
• Teeth and claw marks on wires, furniture, carpets, and packaged food.
• Deposits of large, foul-smelling feces in or around your home.
• Raccoon sightings outdoors near your house or along your property line.