Every year I get calls from customers asking if they can skip their winter treatments because there are no bugs in their house. Well, there are a few things you should consider before trying to skip your winter service.
Firstly, if you are on a Quarterly treatment plan then you are set up for quarterly treatments, you get the best value for your money on this plan along with regular treatments and our guarantee that if you have issues in-between your regularly scheduled treatment we will come back out and re-treat the problem areas at no additional charge. If you skip treatments then the product starts to wear and the bugs come back and it takes longer to get them back under control.
Many bugs in Idaho “overwinter” this means that they hide in all the cracks and crevices and the nooks and crannies to keep warm. They can also be found in the attic, crawlspace and in-between the walls of your home. While mostly immobile they are still there and when it starts to warm they do start to lay eggs and hatch more bugs.
Winter treatments are key in ensuring that you do not have a large hatching cycle in the spring. Mice are another big problem in the winter, they are coming into our homes to get warm and find food. Winter treatments are so important, the reason you are not seeing bugs in your home is because we come out and treat on a quarterly basis ensuring that the barrier around your home is always effective, even when bug activity is minimal.
Other bugs that are not effected by winter that you should be aware of are:
- Termites, these pests are capable of swarming and reproducing until February. A liquid barrier around the foundation of your home and granules around the perimeter of the foundation is your best defense in keeping termites out of your home.
- Bedbugs are an issue any time of the year. We see an increased amount of bedbug treatments in the winter, this is due to increased travel for the holidays and more time spent indoors. Bedbugs are hitchhikers and frequently get picked up at airports and in hotels. If your kids spend time at their friends house and they have bedbugs they can easily be carried home unnoticed.
- Ants, they live in colonies and if you see one there are going to be many more out of site searching for food and water in your home. Due to ants living underground they are not affected by the cold weather like other pests. Locating and getting rid of a colony that is located under the house or outside can be difficult and take a few visits from a professional.
- Beetles look for warmth during the winter. They come in through any access point they can find including windows, cracks, chimneys and vents. While they may not cause damage no one wants a house full of beetles and are considered a nuisance due to their numbers.
- Cockroaches can only survive in temperatures as low as 15 degrees so they must stay indoors during the winter months and they can multiple quickly. Cockroaches are known to spread bacteria and trigger allergies.
- Spiders, although they are less active in the winter making them less noticeable spiders do look for warmer places when it is cold outside hiding out in dark low traffic areas like basements, boxes and in the window moldings.
- Silverfish like cold damp places with high humidity making your basement and crawlspace an ideal location to hang out for the winter months. Although they are not harmful a female can produce over 3,500 eggs.
- Aphids are not harmful to people but they can be to your house plants and in the winter they can often be found hiding out in indoor plants and greenery. Aphids essentially poop candy and this attracts a lot of other insects including ants.
Make sure you keep your home protected by ensuring your treatments are applied as scheduled and resist the urge to try and push out or cancel your winter treatment. Barriers Quarterly Pest Control Program gives you all year protection and peace of mind. Please give us a call at 208-463-4533 M-F from 8:00am-5:00pm.
