A household pest infestation can be a problem throughout the year, but not all pests are active at the same time. Certain pests are more likely to infest your home at particular times of the year, which is why the Brampton pest control team at Truly Nolen takes a Four Seasons approach to remove pests from your property. Here are three pests that could become a particular nuisance during the month of February.

1. Bed Bugs

In Canada, where winters can be cold and unforgiving, many people take vacations to warmer climates. Unfortunately, they do not always come back alone. Bed bugs are tiny parasitic insects that feed on blood. If you stay at a vacation spot that is infested with bed bugs, they may crawl into your baggage and hitch a ride home with you. Once there, they come out of your baggage, find a hiding place, and start feeding on you, usually while you sleep. Bed bugs multiply rapidly, so it doesn’t take long until you have a full-blown infestation on your hands.

Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are not particularly attracted to unsanitary conditions, so don’t assume that you are safe if you stay in an expensive hotel. Five-star facilities have experienced problems with bed bugs. Whenever you check into a room, inspect the places where bed bugs like to hide, such as in dresser drawers and between the mattress and box spring. Keep your luggage off the ground and inspect it after you get home.

Bed bugs do not spread diseases, but their bites do cause painful itchy lesions. Some people can have severe allergic reactions to bed bug saliva.

2. Mice

Mice are tiny, furry creatures that seem cute to some. However, don’t assume because of their small size that they are harmless. Rodents are among the most destructive household pests because of their need to gnaw on things. Their front teeth never stop growing and have to be constantly filed down. Mice can also spread diseases that are dangerous to humans, usually through their excrement.

Mice do not hibernate during the winter, so they have to find a warm place to shelter, preferably close to abundant food sources. Your home probably fits the bill perfectly, and mice can get in if there is an opening the width of a dime because of their ability to compress their bodies to fit through tight spaces.

3. Cockroaches

Like mice, cockroaches can spread diseases by contaminating food and food preparation surfaces with excrement. Also like mice, cockroaches can squeeze into very small spaces to get into your home, but because cockroaches are invertebrates that are even smaller than mice, they can squeeze through even narrower cracks and crevices.

As with bed bugs, cockroaches sometimes catch a ride on the objects that you bring into your home, such as secondhand furniture or clothing. If you purchase anything secondhand, you should always inspect it first for insects of any kind.

Cockroaches are resilient, highly adaptable insects. They originated about 350 million years ago, and they are still around to this day. It is unlikely that they would be fazed by winter weather, even taking into consideration how harsh Canadian winters can be. You can make your home less appealing to them by keeping the kitchen clean and free of crumbs, storing food in sturdy containers, and repairing any water leaks. This way, you deprive them of two of their most basic needs: food and water. Nevertheless, a cockroach infestation can be difficult to resolve on your own and may require the help of professional pest control services in Brampton.

Using our Four Seasons approach, we consider your specific needs to create a customized pest control plan for your property. To prevent pests from getting in, we first create a protective barrier around your home’s perimeter. From there, we inspect for potential nesting spots or entry points. Learn about our Four Seasons approach in more detail.