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Pest controllers deal with a variety of pesky visitors throughout the year. However, there is seasonality in the types of animals and insects found. In this article, we will give you key information to help you protect yourself from the most common pests in each season.

The Most Common Pests in Winter

During the Winter season rodents such as mice and rats look for the shelter and food that human homes can provide in these cold months. These animals can be a real worry, instilling fear in some people and damaging foodstuffs and even plastic water pipes and electrical wiring. They can also transmit disease. This is why you should ideally prevent their appearance before they become a problem through good building maintenance. Sometimes, how they are getting in is not immediately apparent, so you can deter them from entering by cleaning often and keeping potential food supplies inaccessible. Kitchens need special attention: you should keep food out of their reach and take the bins out regularly. If you notice signs of rodent activity in your house it is best to contact a professional, as treatment is relatively simple but unless the entry point into the building is found the problem will keep recurring.

The Most Common Pests in Spring

With spring comes a lot of insect activity. Some of the most common pests you need to be aware of are clothes moths. These are present in textiles such as your stored clothing. To avoid moths, you should vacuum and clean carpets frequently as well as make sure you store your winter clothing in tight containers, such as airtight packing bags. These preventative measures will prove helpful in avoiding these pests reproducing and growing in number. 

In spring you should also be aware of birds such as pigeons who begin nesting and are more active. You can often find them making a home in your loft spaces, under roof eaves above bay windows and under solar panels. The best way to avoid bird infestations is blocking access to your roof by making sure that any entrances are covered (such as your chimney). Most bird species and their nests are protected by law so often action cannot be taken during the nesting season. In this case, action should be taken in the autumn/winter to prevent the issue reoccurring in future years.

Mice and rats can still be a problem even if at a more moderate level. Again, not having food available and keeping the property clean is the best way to minimise activity until the issue can be fixed. If you are having issues with rats in a property in the spring/summer months this can be an indicator that there is an issue with the drains. Special attention should be paid to areas where building extensions have been built over pre-existing drainage. 

The Most Common Pests in the Summer

During the hottest months of the year, you can expect to get visited by some of the most annoying insects, especially those which can bite and sting.

Bees and Wasps are also very common in summer. You should never try to remove their nests yourself, and if you spot a nest you should always call an insect control professional. Some measures you can take to prevent these insects from entering your home are: keeping windows and doors shut, securing bins so they are not attracted by their contents, and removing any kind of food left outside.

Flies are also more present during the summer. Nets are a great idea to keep them from entering your home and a fly killer unit can be installed in food preparation areas to remove flies that do gain access. However, it is also good practice to keep food away from them, for example, keeping bins closed and food in proper containers which can be sealed.

When the temperature rises ants come out to seek new food sources as they begin to reproduce. Here again, keeping food away from them is the best way to prevent them from entering your home. Dirty dishes and scraps accidentally left on floors are the perfect way to get your house visited by a colony of hungry ants (usually in thousands) so you should ensure that your kitchen is kept clean and tidy. If you are already facing this problem, and the ants are there, you should seek a pest control professional to get to the root of the problem and provide a long-term solution.

The Most Common Pests in Autumn

When leaves start to fall and the weather is cooler, some little insects may decide to move indoors with you. Spiders, for example, can be found in bigger numbers during this season as your home offers numerous places for them to nest. The best ways to keep them away are sealing doors and windows and cleaning and vacuuming your floors and carpets regularly, especially under heavy furniture. 

Squirrels are cute and not a threat to humans, but they can cause serious damage to your property. They love jumping into attics and crawl spaces, where they may end up nesting. The best way to avoid this is by checking your property for gaps through which they could gain access. But if they are already there you should refrain from blocking the entrance they are using, as this can cause even more damage to your property as they try to escape and you do not want to starve them in your roof. In this case, the best solution is calling a rodent control professional. 

Finally, Bed Bugs are the kind of pest you want to get rid of as quickly as possible. Some usual signs of an infestation are bites that cause scratching, and blood staining on your mattress. If you want to reduce the chances of getting them in your house, you should avoid bringing second hand items into your home without inspecting them for signs of bed bugs. You should also check your suitcases after a trip as they could be hiding in there too.

We hope this article will help you be aware of the different pests you should keep an eye out for in each season. If you have more questions or want to discuss a specific issue with pests, please feel free to contact us. You will find more useful information and advice about pest control in our blog and FAQ sections.