For most people living in cold climates, the idea of overwintering would be to spend time someplace warm: "I prefer to overwinter on the beach in Mexico." When it comes to pests, overwintering describes their tendency to move into our homes and garages to wait out the winter and survive the colder temperatures and the decrease of their natural food sources outdoors. So while you may look at some secluded, warm island as the ideal place to overwinter, insects look at your home as their winter vacation hotspot.

When temperatures begin to rise with the approach of spring, overwintering pests come out of hiding and make their presence known. This is when you will be most likely to spot them in the living spaces of your home, crawling across floors and walls, on your counters, and near sun-warmed windows. It's not that they've just come into your home this time of year; it's that they haven't been as active until the temperatures start their gradual increase again. They're getting hungry and are in search of new food sources.

Common Overwintering Pests

The most common insects turning your home into their winter vacation destinations include:

• House flies

• Ladybugs

• Boxelder bugs

• Springtails

• Stink bugs

Overwintering Pest Prevention

The best defense against overwintering pests is to take steps to prevent their entry into your home in the first place. Try the following:

• Use caulk to seal cracks in your foundation, doors, windows, siding, and around plumbing and electrical entrances.

• Vacuum and clean your home daily to avoid attracting pests.

• Clean your gutters regularly to prevent pests from moving into the debris in them.

• Invest in regularly scheduled, year-round pest control services to prevent bugs from getting in and have expert technicians eliminate any that do find their way inside.

Year Round Pest Control

When you treat and protect your home with year-round pest control solutions from Adam's Pest Control, you greatly reduce the risk of having overwintering pests take up residence in your home. You'll enjoy a pest-free home environment every season of the year. Year-round pest control solutions rely on fewer pesticides than calling for help only when you spot pests. Expert technicians that return to your home on a regularly scheduled basis will work on the exterior of your home to prevent pests from getting inside in the first place, which reduces the need for pesticides on the interior. To find out more about how Adam’s Pest Control can help your home become and remain pest-free, give us a call today.