Pests That Show Up After the Holidays

Pests That Show Up After the Holidays

While many residents of the Carolinas and Virginia were looking forward to the chance for a white Christmas, most didn’t mind being able to fire up the grill and hang out on the deck during the most wonderful time of the year. We hope you have had a wonderful holiday season and a great start to the New Year. 

However, now that the holidays have come to an end, you are probably in the process of taking down decorations and deep cleaning your home following the hosting of Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings and loved ones. 

While you may not think of winter as a season for worrying about pests, no time of year is safe from creepy crawlies getting in your home. In this article, we are talking about some of the pests that show up after the holiday season. 

 

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