You might be surprised to learn that winter is a busy time for residential pest control experts. We receive all sorts of call outs throughout the year, and winter is no different. Many people wrongly assume that pests die off come wintertime. They believe that their home is secure and therefore let their guard down. Coincidentally, some pests will be looking for a warm shelter to survive the winter and your easy-to-access home could be the perfect place for them.

In this article we’re going to look at three of the most common pests you’re likely to find in your home this winter: house mice; Norway rats; German cockroaches. By the end of this article you’ll understand why these pests are trying to get in to your home and know a little more about their typical behaviors.

House Mice

We’ll begin with house mice, one of the most common pests you might encounter in winter. In fact, they’re one of the most commonly encountered rodents in North America. 

House mice – normally a light, dusty gray with thick fur – love to make nests in dark, hidden-away areas. They need to nest in warm, sheltered areas to survive cold winters. These mice will build their nest out of just about anything they can find, so long as they remain out of sight. House mice tend to eat grains, nuts and fruit during the summer season. When they have less access to those foods in winter though, they’ll eat just about anything you will. Mice are very quick and clever creatures, and their strong sense of smell helps them locate any food you’ve left accessible to them.

House mice are also notoriously fast breeders, and female house mice can give birth to a litter in as little as three weeks! Once inside, their numbers will grow rapidly during a single winter.

Norway Rats

Norway rats, similar to mice, want to get inside your home for warmth and protection from the elements during winter. They prefer to make themselves welcome in your basements and hide among clutter and debris. Like house mice, they find that their usual food source runs out once the snowfalls. Luckily for them, they’ll also eat just about anything they have to.

Norway rats have an incredible determination to find their way inside your home. This could be because they can smell the food inside your home, even from outside. These nocturnal animals may be mostly blind but they make up for it with a seriously impressive sense of smell.

These crafty animals can chew threw electrical wiring, creating dangerous fire hazards, and can squeeze through holes as small as half an inch! They’ll climb up your walls, scurry along with your piping and wreak havoc throughout your home. Norway rats are also known to carry diseases that can cause harm to humans.

German Cockroaches

Need we introduce German cockroaches? These insects are one of the most popular residential pest control issues and also bring diseases into your home. They also face death if the temperatures get cold enough, so they’ll be doing everything they can do make their way inside your home during winter.

German cockroaches prefer dark, damp areas, and would love to nestle up in any of your piping or your wet garage floor. They’re known to survive by eating anything, and we mean anything. When meat, pet food, and human food disappears, German cockroaches can survive by eating paper and even clothing. 

Roaches are excellent hitchhikers and will often sneak into your home via grocery or shopping. Once inside, you’ll see their droppings, stains, and if you have a serious infestation, you might even get a fright seeing them scuttle along your kitchen floor!

No matter which pest you find in your home this winter, be sure to call our friendly Truly Nolen team and we’ll be able to help.