What are the most common pests in winter?

Although pest infestations are strongly associated with the summer months, it’s still common for people to experience problems with pests during the winter. One of the main differences between dealing with pests in the summer and the winter is that the kind of pests you might need help with tend to be different. Read on to find out what are the most common pests in winter. 

The most common pests during the winter months

During the colder months of the year, some animals hibernate until the spring when the temperatures rise. However, some pests don’t need to use this method to survive and instead stay active throughout the year. When the temperatures fall, it’s common for some pests to head back to domestic properties as well as business premises to seek out shelter, protection and warmth.

Rats

Rats are the most common pests you’re likely to deal with in the UK. They can invade properties in large numbers and are well-known for quick breeding. These creatures are likely to invade your property when the temperature falls so they can find food and shelter. Their noises can keep you awake at night, and they can also cause expensive structural damage. They tend to chew through a wide range of materials, and these can include wooden beams and electrical wires. Another reason why you need to be wary of rats is that they often carry diseases. Bites from rats can be very dangerous, and even fatal.

Squirrels

It’s less likely that squirrels will find their way into your home, there is no guarantee that this won’t happen. Once the weather gets cold, there’s always a chance that squirrels will attempt to enter your property to find shelter and warmth. Once they have entered your home, they may build a nest inside your loft. They tend to chew through a variety of materials and may even leave trails of excrement behind themselves.

Mice

Mice also tend to get inside homes via small gaps to find food, warmth and shelter. These creatures also tend to cause structural damage by chewing, and they are also known for defecating inside homes. This can be very harmful to human health.

Spiders

Although spiders don’t cause as much damage as mice, rats and squirrels, their presence can still be highly unwelcome.  Once a spider has got inside your property, they may start laying hundreds of eggs at a time. This can create an infestation.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches require a constant supply of water. They tend to make their way towards appliances including washing machines, freezers and refrigerators. They tend to make their way inside homes in order to find food, often living off crumbs they find on your property. Cockroaches can contaminate anything that they come into contact with inside your home, such as floors, surfaces and food. The diseases carried by cockroaches can harm both humans and animals.

Rabbits and moles

Although this doesn’t occur frequently, wild rabbits can also come inside your home to find food, warmth and shelter. Moles don’t hibernate but they can create infestations inside your garden, digging long, deep tunnels in order to survive the falling temperatures.

What can I do to prevent a winter pest infestation?

Thankfully, there are a number of steps that you can take if you are worried about pest infestations and are ready to prevent pests from entering or damaging your home during the colder months of the year. One of the best steps you can take is to examine your property. See if there are any holes or points where a pest could gain access to it. One of the most common areas used by pests to get inside your home is your roofline, so it’s highly advisable to take a look at this.

Keeping your garden tidy is another way to reduce the chances of a pest infestation. If your garden is overgrown or your bins are overflowing, you could be unwittingly creating food sources for pests. If you don’t already have a cap on your chimney, it’s a great idea to add one so pests can’t enter your home through it. Also, be careful not to unwittingly bring pests into your home when you’re carrying items in from outside. 

You may need to clean items before you bring them inside your home, especially if you’re carrying them in from inside your garden. It’s also a good move to check parts of your home which you don’t use regularly and tend to be quiet as these are the kinds of places where pests like to hide. The sooner you identify a pest problem, the easier it will be to resolve.

What should I do if I have already found pests in my home?

If you have already discovered pests inside your home, the best thing to do is to get in touch with a pest control company immediately. Companies dealing with pest control and mice control in Doncaster can help you overcome or at least manage your problem effectively to help you avoid property damage and illnesses linked to pests.

How Topline can help

Now you know what are the most common pests in winter, you may be wondering who can help if you do need access to pest control services in South Yorkshire.  At Topline, we are ready to assist you if you need help with mice control and pest control in Doncaster. We have a great deal of experience in this area. We can help you whether you’re a domestic or residential customer. 

Contact us

More and more people are getting in touch with Topline after typing the query “what are the most common pests in winter?” into search engines. You can reach us today by calling us on 01302 969049 or by completing the form on our website. We’ll get back to you as quickly as we possibly can.