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What does fall pest control mean? As the fall season approaches, it’s important to remember that you won’t be the only one seeking warmth in your home. Rodents, vermin, and insects can live for over a year, and when it gets cold, they’ll be looking for a cozy place to survive the winter. Fall is the ideal time to begin safeguarding your home against winter infestations and to better prepare your home for the following spring and summer as well.
The first pest control method is physical. This includes any pest control that involves trapping, exterminating or blocking pests from entering the desired location. To achieve this, you can use:
The second method is chemical. This method of pest control uses deadly chemicals to exterminate pests. This includes:
The final method is biological pest control. This involves making natural changes to the environment to deal with pests. Examples of this are:
To prevent insects and spiders from entering your home, it is important to maintain a tidy yard. Regular mowing, weed removal, and raking leaves are essential. Ensure that the area around your home is free of weeds, standing water, toys, firewood, and anything that could provide cover for pests. Consider using an insecticide, but be cautious as there are various types with different ingredients that target different pests. Look for a broad-spectrum insecticide to address a wide variety of pests.
Please remember to read the label before spraying insecticide. Some insecticides are not safe for indoor residential use. It’s best to spray the outside of your home, including any openings for insects such as windows and doors, any crevices around your home, and from the ground up a couple of feet on the siding of your home. Most insecticides are safe on the surfaces of your home, but it is important to check before you spray.
Rodents, like insects, will hide behind whatever they can. It’s best to keep your yard, the space directly around your home, and inside your home clutter-free. They will hide in places that are not frequently visited, including holiday and seasonal storage boxes. Before bringing out all the festive decorations or necessary winter clothes, consider taking that storage box outside to open it. Opening it for the first time in a while outside will at least allow any surprises inside to escape outside of your home. Fall is a great time to ensure there are no easy points of entry to your home. Ensure all windows seal tightly, as well as doors, and make sure there are no large gaps in your foundation or siding.
If you have a rodent issue, you can use bait or traps to resolve it. There are factors to consider when choosing between bait and traps.
When trapping individual rodents, it’s easier to clean up because the deceased rodent will be in the trap. Place traps close to walls, about 2-3 feet apart from each other. Rats and mice are attracted to nuts and seeds, so one of the best baits you can use on your traps is peanut butter. When preparing your traps, wear gloves to avoid your scent deterring the rodents from taking the bait.
When targeting rats, place bait 15 to 50 feet apart between harboring areas and food sources. As rats do not typically roam around open, empty ground, bait should be placed on fence rails, in trees, and around attics and crawl spaces.
For mice, place bait 10 feet apart or closer to entice them away from other food sources. Bait will be more effective if placed against walls, not a few inches off the wall. Additionally, look for entry points to place the bait in front of.
After placement of bait stations, avoid moving them unless the bait is no longer being taken. All bait and traps should be in areas inaccessible to dogs, cats, other pets, and children. Most baits are formulated to smell like food, potentially attracting different animals.
If you feel overwhelmed, don’t worry! Pest control is not the most pleasant or easiest task to undertake. If you’re unsure how to proceed or have tried doing it yourself with no luck, consider contacting a professional. Pest control experts have the experience and qualifications to use more potent pest control products without jeopardizing the safety of you, your family, or pets.
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