What Pests You Should Expect After the Holidays
1) Aphids and Ladybugs
For many in our area, they cannot imagine the holidays without a live Christmas tree. In fact, our local economy is tied intricately to beautiful Christmas tree farms. One of the only potential downsides to having a live tree and other plant life in your home is the potential that aphids might be living in the greenery.
It’s not so much that aphids themselves will damage your tree or decorations (although they certainly can damage living plants), but that they will attract an infestation of ladybugs.
You might hardly notice them as their red and black color scheme fits with your decorations, but as you remove your tree and the rest of your decorations, you might find you’re on the verge of a ladybug takeover.
2) Spiders
You might associate spiders with summers, but they are actually more active in the fall in the Carolinas and Virginia. It is still quite common to see spiders throughout winter, especially during the holidays when they have decorations and trees in which to hide. As you breakdown, your decorations, don’t be surprised to see some spiders.
3) Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are travelers, hitchhikers who love nothing more than to hide in luggage and clothing and move all over the country. If you have hosted relatives during the holidays, there is a chance they may have unwittingly left behind bed bugs, especially if they have traveled to other places.
4) Ants and Roaches
Everyone has their own favorite holiday foods. You may have lively debates about whether ham or turkey is the superior Christmas dinner meat, or if sweet potato casserole should or should not have marshmallows, or whether pecan pie is better than pumpkin pie.
Unfortunately, all of those foods attract pests like ants and roaches. Even if you thoroughly clean, if you miss a single crumb, it could invite some of these annoying pests into your home.
5) Mice
The same foods that attract ants and roaches may invite mice to make themselves at home at the end of the holiday season. Unfortunately, mice will chew through walls and cords, causing damage and leaving behind droppings.
6) Beetles and Stink Bugs
Whether you went all out for decorations or stuck to the basics, if you had anything living in your home, you can expect to have some beetles hanging out after the holidays.
Stink bug infestations are simply unfortunate, and inevitable in our area.
What to Do About Post-Holiday Pests
If you have seen holiday posts or you just suspect there are some hiding in your decorations, here is what you can do about them:
- Watch: Keep an eye out for signs of pests such as droppings, minor damage, larvae, and carcasses.
- Clean: You need to deep clean your home, which should include vacuuming thoroughly, washing sheets and bedding in hot water, sweeping and mopping, and taking out all garbage.
- Remove: Don’t just take your Christmas tree and greenery outside; carry it far away from your property. Otherwise, pests that have become accustomed to living in your home can find their way back inside.
- Deter: Deter insects from entering your home by keeping doors and windows closed and making your entry points are sealed.
- Toss: Don’t leave your holiday waste near your home. Make sure cans are taken to the street, or you make trips to the landfill to dispose of the things that attract pests.
Contact Your Trusted Exterminator
For residents of the Carolinas and Virginia, you need exterminators you can trust. Rid-A-Bug has over thirty years of experience helping homeowners get rid of post-holiday pests.
We want to make sure your new year begins free of the pests that can plague your winter. Contact the team at Rid-A-Bug today for thorough pest extermination services.