Need for Winter Pest Control

Now that the winter season is here, it is a common misconception that most of your pest problems are over and where there is way less insect activity, this may seem true. However this is not the case. The worse pest season is March through November but the danger is not truly over, especially when it comes to the most destructive pest - the Termite. Termites are active 24/7 and 365 days a year. Eagle Pest Services would like to explain how termites get into your home during the holiday season and how your home might be vulnerable to an impending invasion. Termites are wood destroying insects that cause an extreme amount of damage to a single home. Signs of termite activity is hidden and most of the time we don’t know see them until the damage they incur is far too late for us to fix. That is why it is important to be aware of the threat of bringing these pests right into your home.

How Termites Get into Your Home

Just like other pests, termites are awaiting their chance to get inside your home. During this holiday season, you might be surprised to find how often we give these pests their chance to invade. Here are some of the most common ways that our Christmas habits often bring termites and other pests into your home.

Decorations - Storing decorations in cardboard boxes, especially those that are kept in damp areas like the garage etc. and that are located without air ventilation is a breeding ground for termite activity. As you bring your boxes into your home, you will bring the termites and even a great deal of other pests like cockroaches along with them.

Outdoor Materials – We often use outdoor materials like pine cone, dried leaves, potted plants, and pine tree branches to decorate our homes for that authentic holiday feeling. Many of these natural outdoor materials come with the treat of bringing in a hitchhiking termite infestation. Termites are not the only pest that could also threaten your home. Properly clean and inspect your natural décor before bringing them into your home.

Live Christmas Trees – For those who still like using a live Christmas tree, you might be bringing more than what you bargained for. Aphids, beetles, spiders and, yep, termites may be clinging to your Christmas tree. Most of the Christmas trees you pick up from a lot or other commercial settings usually inspect and clean their trees. Therefore, the greatest threat comes with those who cut down their own trees.

Firewood – those toasty fires really set the mood for that holiday feel. However for those who store or bring in extra firewood into your home, there is a great threat of termites and other common firewood pests. Firewood is often stored too close to homes and as wood sets and dries up, the termites move in. If your firewood pile is stacked near or next to your home, expect unwanted company soon. 

What Makes a Home Vulnerable to Termites

Bringing termites into a home is bad enough but is your home perfect for a termite invasion? Here are some of the qualities termites look for when seeking a home of their own.

Hollow Block Foundations – Cracks and hollow foundations provide a termite colony the means to travel into your home and infest it from the ground up.

Slab Foundations – slabs are close to the ground and the soil that allows termites to burrow through the soil and right to your foundation are slabs that are low to the ground. With time cracks will occur, which again allows termites to travel back and forth into your home and their colony.

Inaccessible Crawlspaces – Humid places provides the perfect environment for a termite colony, especially those spaces where it is difficult to inspect.

Earth and rubble filled Porches – Porches covered with dirt and other plant matter paves the way for termites to travel into your home, so if you’re cleaning of the tree or decoration outside on your porch you may still be letting them into your home.  

Termite Inspections & Control

Termites are a year around problem and we can even make more of a problem during the holidays. Be careful what you bring into your home. If you found you’ve accidentally brought termites or any other pest inside along with your holiday traditions, contact Eagle Pest Services. We will make your home pest free this holiday season.