Where do bugs go over the holidays?
It’s starting to get really chilly in Georgia and guess who else thinks so...? That’s right, bugs!
We’re not the only ones who change our behavior to tolerate the winter months. Some bugs migrate to warmer climates during the Fall, while others hibernate until Spring. But the most common action is to look for a cozy place to call home- our homes! Certainly, not all bugs die off in the winter, such as ladybugs who congregate near warm sides of the home and find their way in at night. Even termites are still at work during the winter, just not as fast as usual. Halloween is over, but this is much more frightening.
To fight a potential bug infestation, you will need to change some things around your house.
- Be sure to seal food containers tightly and invest in glass or plastic containers to store flour, rice, and beans.
- If you have pets, store their food in a large container rather than the bag it comes in.
- Instead of keeping their bowls full all day, feed your pets at certain times and wash the bowls when they’re finished
- Don’t forget to take the trash out regularly and take an exterior tour of your house to make sure no colonies have slipped in under your nose
- Seal any cracks or window openings with rubber seals
Remember, even the smallest opening can bring in cold bugs to your warm house!
As for all those winter plants that you have to bring in, you don’t want the bugs to follow. There a few simple tricks to do just that. First of all, you should spray down the leaves of the plants before you bring them in, washing away those leaf-dwelling insects. For small plants, you could even dunk it in a large bucket to get rid of any bugs. Spray an insecticide on the leaves and also on the soil in order to create a protective layer and kill any insects that might have already gone through the plant's seepage holes.
Bugs are certainly not the guests you want to invite inside your house during the holidays, but by taking the initiative to seal crevices and check the plants you bring indoors, you can easily prevent an unwanted infestation over the winter.
