Cockroaches And Winter Weather

Cockroaches And Winter Weather

Roaches are one of the most common pests in Tennessee. If you’ve ever had a cockroach infestation, you know how big of a headache it can be. For every one you get rid of, it seems as though five more spring up in its place.

Winter can be a particularly troublesome time for cockroaches. As the weather gets colder, they seek shelter in the warm confines of our houses and apartments, which offer cozy places to live, access to water and lots of easy-to-find food. All of these amenities are much more difficult to find outside during the cold-weather months.

Unfortunately for us, these unwelcome guests aren’t very content to abandon this sweet setup they’ve established in our homes. However, you can take steps to try to keep these bothersome pests from shacking up in your abode. Here are three measures you can employ to keep these nasty bugs out in the cold.

  • Don’t leave any standing water around (such as in the sink or on countertops) and fix any leaky pipes if you have any.

  • Eliminate food sources by tidying up after cooking and eating. Don’t leave dishes sitting in the sink, and store food in airtight containers.

  • Seal any cracks in walls, both inside and out, to block off any potential entrances to your home.

Even if you do all this, you can still get roaches. Once you have them, they are difficult to get rid of. If you have cockroaches, contact Russell’s Pest Control. We’ve been ridding Tennessee of cockroach infestations for more than 40 years.

Winter Chill Forces Rodents And Other Small Pests Indoors

Winter Chill Forces Rodents And Other Small Pests Indoors

With cold weather and snow blanketing much of the country, homeowners aren’t the only ones seeking shelter indoors. Rodents are also looking for a warm place like our homes to escape the winter chill. Unfortunately, these small pests can cause more than just a headache for homeowners if they gain entrance inside.

Rodents can contaminate food sources and serve as vectors of many diseases, such as salmonella and the potentially fatal Hantavirus. Moreover, mice and rats can cause serious structural damage by chewing through insulation, wallboards, wood and electrical wiring.

It’s much easier to prevent an infestation than to get rid of pests after they’ve found a cozy retreat inside the home. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) recommends the following tips to keep homes rodent-free this winter:

  • Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home, including areas where utilities and pipes enter, using caulk, steel wool or a combination of both.

  • Replace loose mortar and weather stripping around the basement foundation and windows.

  • Screen vents and openings to chimneys.

  • Store food in airtight containers and dispose of garbage regularly.

  • Inspect items such as boxes, grocery bags and other packages brought into the home.

If you find rodent feces or hear sounds of scurrying in the walls, contact Russell’s Pest Control, and we’ll perform a free home inspection.

Insect Pests And Winter Weather

A good portion of the United States, including East Tennessee, went through a bout of unseasonably cold weather, with thermometers barely hovering above zero. But what does that have to do with pests?

You may have observed people speculating in conversation or on Facebook about what the cold temperatures will mean for insects in the spring and fall. A popular opinion has been that this weather means we will see fewer insect pests in the spring and summer. Is this true? The answer is “it depends.”

Some insects, such as stink bugs, lady bugs and certain types of ants, tend to invade homes during the fall. These pests look for warm places in preparation for winter, so they are less likely to be affected by any climate fluctuations since they’re already inside.

Pests like beetles, box elder bees, wasps, hornets, crickets, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and others, are more likely to be sensitive to temperature changes. That’s because these insects burrow during the winter and lay their eggs in the ground. Extreme cold can kill off these eggs, which means fewer bugs in the spring and summer. However, the extent to which the polar vortex affected next season’s insect population is impossible to determine, as it depends on how deep the larvae are in the ground.

To sum it all up, there is little doubt that the unseasonably cold weather will have an effect on the number of insects we’ll face in the spring and summer. However, it’s impossible to tell how pronounced that effect will be.