Understanding pests and their behaviour are critical if you want to keep them out of your home. After all, most pests need food, water, and a place to stay warm. If your home offers this they are likely to pay you a visit. That’s why it’s recommended you check for gaps around your home and seal them up. It will help to stop pests from entering.
If you think you have a pest issue it’s best to call the local pest control company. They will have the tool, experience, and time to eliminate any pests living in your home. This will leave you free to concentrate on keeping the pests out.
The ones you need to be most concerned about are those that deliberately seek the warmth of your home:
Termites
Termites are small, often, look like ants from a distance, and like to live under your house. They are also very destructive. An average size colony can eat as much as six inches of 2×4 wood in just five months. You’ll quickly see how that could cause problems.
Interestingly, although termites need wood to eat, their primary reason for coming to your home is that it’s warm and moist. Termites need both of these to survive.
Rodents
Rats and mice are particularly fond of staying warm. They build nests and, in the cooler months, will snugly into the nest and stay warm. Of course, if they move into your warm house they won’t need to snuggle, it will be warm enough all the time.
That means they will be free to cause a selection of damage, including chewing through walls and electrical connections.
Don’t forget, rats and mice can also carry diseases and, on rare occasions, have been known to bite people.
Spiders
Spiders live in small corners and prefer to stay out of your way. While many species are harmless some can give you a nasty nip. That’s why you need to be aware that spiders love being warm and your home makes a desirable spot for them to stay warm, capture food, and even for them to have babies.
Even if spiders don’t induce fear in you, it’s important to eliminate as many of them as possible. However, a few spiders can be beneficial as they help to keep the fly population low.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are similar to termites in appearance but they don’t look for wood to eat it. Instead, they gouge tunnels out of the wood to create living spaces for their colony.
A key part of their decision regarding where to live is the temperature. Carpenter ants, like termites, prefer warm spots, such as your home. However, unlike termites, they don’t need there to be moisture to keep them alive.
That makes it more likely that you’ll have carpenter ants if you live in a warm house without any leaks.
You can also get other types of ants visiting your home for warmth. But, they are more likely to live in the walls.
