fall pests Archives

Protect Your Thanksgiving Feast from Fall Pests

Oct 7, 2022

Protection from Fall Pests

The Thanksgiving feast is a crazy yet enjoyable time of year. The last thing you want is to be joined by uninvited guests such as mice, occasional invaders, or spiders.

Unwanted pests during this time of year can be an unfortunate event. Protect yourself before it is too late by finding the right pest control company near you. Year-round pest protection is the best way to ensure your home stays pest free. Here are a few other ways to keep the pests away from your Thanksgiving feast:

Keeping Pests Out of Food

Thanksgiving is a busy time of year for your kitchen, and it is essential to keep lids on trash cans in and outside your home. Food scraps that are thrown in trash cans attract rodents and pests. The best way to keep mice out is to remove any food sources, so keep those lids on tight.

You might even consider double-bagging some scraps that would be especially attractive to hungry pests. Any leftovers that you may have will need to be stored correctly. Food left open or not put away correctly might attract mice and other pests. Ensure everything is sealed up and put away right after the meal.

Vacuuming and Deep Cleaning

Clean the dining room after the feast as soon as possible to prevent the crumbs and food from attracting mice and pests. It is also equally important to deep clean the kitchen after all the meal preparations and meal is over. Don’t forget to clean under the fridge and all the other places that are hard to reach.

Inspect Decorations When Unpacking Them

Pulling all of our fall and winter decorations from the garage or attics can be scary if you don’t have your pest control in order. The attic and garage are prime points of entry for almost all pests. The darkness and low-traffic spots make the perfect hiding places.

From there it is easy for rodents and insects to find their way into your walls and run through your homes without you even knowing it. It is important to inspect for any pests when pulling out these decorations.

If you come across any pests, it is important to try to contain them if possible and call your local pest control company.

Watch Out for that Firewood

During this time of year, nothing sounds more enjoyable than getting cozy in front of the fireplace. Having a fire can be extremely pleasant as long as nothing hitches a ride on the firewood from outside. This is a great example of how occasional invaders make their way into your homes. Before bringing any wood into your home, inspect it for any pests that might be hiding inside the wood.

Prevention is the Best Protection

Ensure your Thanksgiving feast will stay 100% pest-free by having year-round protection for your home. Pests will find a way to a warm place to sleep and have a meal, so it is important to be proactive in your protection. InsectaShield® is an affordable preventative service to ensure your home is free of pests like spiders, mice, ants, and termites by stopping them before they get inside. Use the Bug Zero interactive package builder to build your custom InsectaShield® protection plan.

CAPE GIRARDEAU MO AREA: CALL OR TEXT 573-803-7828

SPRINGFIELD MO AREA: CALL OR TEXT 417-831-7378

Keep Your Kitchen Pest-Free This Thanksgiving

Oct 20, 2021

Thanksgiving is a time to cook/bake, enjoy tasty food, and spend time with loved ones. At the end of the day, you’re left with dirty dishes and leftovers. As you are tidying up your kitchen and storing food, are you careful to not leave any crumbs behind? If not, this is your chance to change that habit to ensure your home stays pest-free this Thanksgiving season. Here are some tips to keep pests out of your kitchen and a few pests to be on the lookout for.

Like humans, pests need a food source to survive. This puts a direct target on your kitchen’s back… especially during Thanksgiving. Keep pests away by:

Wiping and vacuuming all crumbs or spills on countertops, floors, and tables.
Not letting dirty dishes pile up.
Running your garbage disposal.
Storing leftovers in airtight containers.
Taking out the trash.

Ants

Ants are known for their ambitious appetites. The kitchen is an ideal spot for these pests due to the endless options of food and moisture. The most common ants within homes are odorous house ants, Argentine ants, and pavement ants. Their preference in food can vary depending on the species. A likely location for them to hide is near sinks and water pipes.

Rodents

These pests are another common kitchen invader. Similar to ants, they are attracted to a variety of foods including nuts, meat, grains, sweet fruits and even pet food. House mice and Norway rats are the species of rodents to be on the lookout for. It’s important to note that these pests can spread diseases such as salmonella bacteria and hantavirus and they can carry other disease-causing pests such as fleas, ticks, and lice.

Flies

Fruit flies and house flies are pests that we have all encountered at least once. Fruit flies are attracted to sugary substances and overripe fruit, while house flies prefer decaying organic filth such as rotting meat. Once they catch a whiff of their preferred food source, these unwelcomed pests can squeeze through miniscule cracks and window screens to get to it.

Stress less about pests this Thanksgiving by following these tips and contacting Bug Zero for your preventative spraying options.

CAPE AREA: CALL OR TEXT 573-803-7828
SPRINGFIELD AREA: CALL OR TEXT 417-831-7378

Midwest Fall Pests

Sep 6, 2021

Fall is just around the corner. Leaves will begin to change colors, the air will get cooler and for most, the furnace will kick on. As we attempt to stay warm inside, pests will to do the same. Keeping your home pest-free means pest-proofing your home and knowing what pests to keep an eye out for. Two of the most common pests to take shelter in the fall are mice and spiders.

Mice are a danger to your health and home. A common sign of a mice infestation is droppings. Their feces can carry viruses such as Hantavirus and Salmonella, and this can result in contaminated food items. These pests are also known for bringing in other pests such as fleas, lice, and ticks, which will increase the chance of another pest invasion.

Just like several other pests, mice can be known for causing structural damage. They will chew and gnaw on wood, wires, and more. In order to build nests, they will gather insulation from walls and other fibrous materials. This can include items in your home such as clothing and paper.

Fall is mating season for most spiders. This increases the likeliness of you seeing them and their webs in your home. A few of the more common spiders you may see in the fall are house spiders, wolf spiders and brown recluses. While not all spiders pose as a threat to your health, spiders such as brown recluses do. Shaking out clothing, shoes, sheets, and towels can help prevent the likeliness of a bite.

Get an early start to your fall pest protection by contacting Bug Zero today!

Or give us a call if you have questions about the services we offer.

CAPE AREA: CALL OR TEXT 573-803-7828
SPRINGFIELD AREA: CALL OR TEXT 417-831-7378

So, what about those “Occasional Invaders”?

Oct 5, 2020

You may have heard the term “occasional invader” when it comes to pests that may enter the home. But what even is an occasional invader?

Occasional Invaders is a name used to group those pesky critters that invade homes every so often due to weather conditions. For instance, you may notice an uptick in the amount of Asian Lady Beetles or boxelder bugs during the fall months. That’s because these pests are prepping themselves for the cold, dry winter. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t make a habit of making an unannounced appearance during other seasons, it’s just that tend to remain outdoors until they get a bit too uncomfortable.

More often than not, these creatures are nothing more than an annoyance. But, do note that some of them cause unpleasant odors or damage to paper material products.

Don’t fret though, there are many things you can do as a homeowner to prevent these “occasional” visitors. First, try to ensure there are not entry points such as cracks in the foundation or utility pipes. Then remember to keep moisture low. These type of pests love humid and damp spaces.

If they’ve already made their way in your home, no need to fear. Something as simple as vacuuming up the bugs you see can help the problem. However, it’s always smart to contact a pest control professional if you notice a massive influx of these critters. They’ll be able to solve the issue with proper service and product.

Let our team help you with occasional invader issues this the fall season!

Or give us a call if you have questions about the treatments available.

CAPE AREA CALL OR TEXT: 573-803-7828
SPRINGFIELD AREA CALL OR TEXT: 417-831-7378

How should I prep my home for fall pests?

Oct 5, 2020

Who doesn’t love to get cozied up on a crisp autumn evening? Much like we humans love getting inside to some comfortable warmth during this season, so do many pests. Fall is the time of year that pests like mice, crickets and spiders make their journey into your home to get in on the comfy, cozy action.

Here are a few tips we suggest to keep your home protected from these uninvited seasonal guests.

Keep places such as basements, attics or crawl spaces dry and ventilated. Since many pests are attracted to humid locations for survival, use things such as a dehumidifier to keep the aforementioned areas dry.
Be on the lookout for cracks in foundation around the house. They may be small spaces, but plenty of pests can make their way through these unintentional entryways. Use caulk to seal those areas up.
If you keep firewood near the home, move it away from the house. As a rule of thumb, it needs to be kept at least 20 feet away from your home and preferably not in direct contact with soil.
Keep counters clean and remove crumbs or any food remnants from the home. Pests love feeding on our leftover morsels. And don’t forget, they love pet food too! Put away pet dishes after pet feeding times. Also do not feed your outside pets more than they will consume. Leftover food attracts mice and wildlife.
Try to inspect any storage boxes, packages or shopping bags that come in the home. Shake or clean them out to rid the container of any critters. Storing belongings in plastic tubs with sealed lids is preferred over cardboard boxes.

If you want to feel an extra sense of security this year, trust us to keep your home protected from these pests.

Get started with Bug Zero today!

Or give us a call if you have questions about the services we offer.

CAPE AREA: CALL OR TEXT 573-803-7828
SPRINGFIELD AREA CALL OR TEXT: 417-831-7378

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