Fall is here, which means the holidays are around the corner. Starting off the holiday season is, of course, Halloween. While Halloween is known for trick or treaters, it can be a fun event no matter your age. Decorating the outside of your home can also be fun. Many people decorate with skeletons, witches, pumpkins, and various animals such as spiders, rats, and bats.
What’s not fun, though, is seeing these animals come to life and get inside your home. These pests are fun as decorations, but once they invade your living space, it can be hard to get rid of them.
While spiders, rats, and bats are definitely annoying, their presence can also cause damage and illnesses. For example, rats and other rodents can chew up electrical wires, which can lead to a fire. They can also contaminate food and spread disease. As for spiders, while most are not poisonous, some may bite if they are disturbed. You should also be wary of cockroaches, which can trigger allergies and asthma.
Halloween is scary enough. Uninvited guests can add more drama. Here’s how to scare away insects and rodents and make your Halloween pest-free.
Common Pests
Fall means cooler weather. To escape the dropping temperatures, pests will want to take shelter in your home. Here are some common Halloween creepy crawlies that you need to look out for in the coming months:
- Rats. Rats can be one of the nastiest pests to have in your home. Not only are they seen as ugly by many, but they are also associated with damage and disease. These nocturnal creatures will nest in a variety of places, from garbage cans to basements. While rats are fairly large, they can fit through an opening the size of a quarter. This means they can easily enter your home and cause destruction. They can gnaw through wires and contaminate the food in your home.
- Bats. Bats are often associated with haunted houses. They are nocturnal mammals that are often found in attics and dark areas of buildings, including caves. While they don’t have good vision, they can fly well. One thing to know about bats is that they can carry rabies, so a bite from a bat can be fatal if left untreated.
- Spiders. While many people are scared of spiders, the truth is that only a few species here in the United States are actually dangerous. The brown recluse spider and the black widow spider are two species you should be aware of, as these spiders are venomous. A bite from either of them can be very painful.
- Bedbugs. Many people think of bed bugs as mini vampires since they feed off of human blood. As their name implies, bed bugs are typically found in beds. However, they can be found in other places such as baseboards, underneath electrical switch plates, and around furniture. They may also hide in luggage, purses, and other personal belongings in an effort to find a human food supply. If you have been bitten by one, you will notice red, itchy welts on your skin.
Fall Pest Control for Homeowners
Rats, bats, and spiders should be used as decor only. Prevent the real thing from getting inside your home with these helpful hints for fall pest control:
- Seal cracks and holes. Even the smallest crack or hole is an invitation for ants, hornets, spiders, and beetles to get into your home. Do an inspection in and around your home and look for any cracks or holes, particularly around access points. Seal these gaps with silicone caulk. For larger holes, consider steel wool. The steel fibers deter insects that cannot chew through. Even rats have a hard time getting through steel wool.
- Check screens and doors. Household pests can easily get in the home through torn window screens and cracks under doors. By installing door sweeps and repairing damaged screens, you can keep creepy crawlies out of your house.
- Get rid of standing water. Water attracts a variety of pests, especially mosquitoes. Water is essential for insects to live and breed, so stop attracting these pesky bugs. Look around your home and dump out any buckets of water. Leaks from hoses can create stagnant water, so fix these leaks and get rid of the water.
- Landscape your yard. Proper landscaping can keep pests out of your home. Trees, bushes, and shrubs offer the perfect living environment for insects and rodents, so trim these down if possible.
When to Call a Professional
Many of us are DIY types. We’re too ashamed to get help because we’re sure we can do it ourselves for cheaper. When it comes to eradicating pests, you may think a visit to your local home improvement store is all you need. In some cases, this may be true. However, DIY remedies attack only the immediate problem. They do not get to the heart of the matter (which may be a huge colony of bugs in your attic). So while DIY solutions may provide you with short-term relief, you more than likely still have a long-term pest problem on your hands.
While a trap may be helpful to get rid of a few rogue pests here and there, if the insects or rodents keep returning or you see a large swarm of them, it’s time to get professional help.
Many homeowners avoid professional pest services because of the cost involved. A one-time service may cost several hundred dollars, but keep in mind that multiple DIY solutions could cost much more. Plus, professional services are much more effective.
Contact Our Pest Control Experts Today
Insects, rodents, and other pests can invade your home this time of year. With the right professional help, you can enjoy Halloween and focus on scary decorative bugs and creatures.
When Halloween decor comes to life and makes its way into your home, Stride Pest Control is here to help. Our expertise and top-notch customer service combined will help get rid of annoying pests for good. Schedule a consultation with our pest control experts at Stride Pest Control today by calling (512) 515-3635 or filling out the online form.
