5 Pests That Aren’t Just Summer Visitors

Summer is definitely the time of the year when some pests are most active. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the only time of year when they’ll invade your home or business. So what pests should you look out for all year round? Here’s our guide to 5 pests that aren’t just summer visitors.

1. Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are active all year round. It might just seem like they are more active in the summer because that’s when more people travel, stay in hotels, and unknowingly transport the pests from place to place.

Why You Need To Look Out For Them All Year Round

Bed bugs feed on human blood. If you’re bitten, you can end up with a lot of itchy bumps. These pests also breed quickly and are experts at hiding out in mattresses, bedding, furniture, and in between floor boards.

Prevention and Treatment

Before you bring anything into your home, check it for signs of bed bugs. Be vigilant when you travel as well. Don’t leave your suitcase on the bed when you are packing or unpacking, and check it as soon as you get home. Wash bedding or clothes on the highest possible heat. Oh, and call in professional pest control who can eliminate an infestation with effective treatments like heat treatment.

2. Cockroaches

Cockroaches are second on our list of pests who aren’t just summer visitors. While you might think you see them more in the summer, especially if you’ve had one in your holiday apartment, they are active all year round. With enough food, warmth, water, and shelter, cockroaches can flourish year round.

Why You Need To Look Out For Them All Year Round

Cockroaches breed quickly, and like bed bugs, they are great at hiding out. Cockroaches can transmit germs as they crawl through dirt and waste, and you can imagine what might happen if they end up on your worktop or food.

Prevention and Treatment

Remove any food and water sources. Keep your home clean and clutter free, and clear up crumbs and spillages as soon as possible. Check pipes for any leaks as moisture can attract thirsty cockroaches. As far as treatment goes, call in professional pest control. These hardy pests are very difficult to control yourself.

3. Spiders

Sorry to all of you arachnophobes, but spiders live in our homes all year round. They become more noticeable in later summer and early autumn as spiders come indoors and males emerge to seek a mate, but they are active year round.

Why You Need To Look Out For Them All Year Round

A couple of spiders in your home can be beneficial because they eat bothersome pests like flies. However, though they aren’t dangerous, having spiders in your home in large numbers can be unsettling to say the least. There’s also a species called the false widow that can give you a nasty bite and set off an allergic reaction.

Prevention and Treatment

Seal up any gaps or cracks around your home where spiders might be getting in. Keep your home and garden free from clutter as things like piles of wood and cardboard boxes make an attractive nest for spiders. To get rid of an infestation and claim back your peace of mind, we’d recommend you call in professional pest control if you have a serious infestation in your home.

4. Carpet Beetles

Carpet beetles are active all year round, though you are most likely to see them in April, May, and June.

Why You Need To Look Out For Them All Year Round

Carpet beetle larvae can cause a lot of destruction if an infestation is left unchecked. This is because they love to eat clothing, curtains, bedding, and carpets. They also have hairs on their bodies which can trigger allergic reactions in some people.

Prevention and Treatment

Check around your home for any gaps and cracks where carpet beetles could get in and seal them. Check items before you bring them into your home, especially if they are second-hand. Carpet beetles breed fast; adult beetles lay over 100 eggs in one go which can hatch in as little as 10 days. So you can see how an infestation could quickly get out hand. Call in professional pest control and they’ll eliminate the beetles at every stage of their life cycle to stop the infestation in its tracks.

5. Cluster Flies

Cluster flies love the heat, so you’ll see them around your windows in the summer months. However, they are active in the winter too and will come into your home in the colder months looking for somewhere to hibernate.

Why You Need To Look Out For Them All Year Round

Cluster flies gather in huge numbers. While they aren’t a health hazard like houseflies, they do leave their faeces behind and having them in your home in large numbers is unpleasant.

Prevention and Treatment

Vacuum your home and get rid of any clutter. Seal up gaps or cracks around your home where they could get in. Keep food (especially sweet food) in sealed containers as it attracts cluster flies. Remove standing water. Call in professional pest control for a cluster fly infestation as just killing the flies you can see isn’t enough. You have to kill the eggs too to nip the infestation in the bud.

Need Help With Problem Pests?

Some pests are active all year round, so you need to be vigilant. No matter the time of year, if you spot signs of pests, call Contego. Our expert pest technicians can identify the pest that’s causing the problem and recommend the most effective solution for your situation. Not only that, we’ll tell you how to stop the pests from coming back.

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