Thanksgiving Guests You Don’t Want

Why and how pests get into Midwest homes

Mice, rats, overwintering insects, and cockroaches all get into homes in the fall because they need a warm place where they will survive the winter. As the weather gets cold outside and once plentiful food sources begin to disappear, these pests move indoors. 

While the overwintering insects don’t remain active through the winter, rodents and cockroaches do, which means they need a steady food supply. They are usually attracted to homes because there is always food available. If you’re prepping for Thanksgiving, you can understand how your house might be particularly attractive at this time of year, with a warm kitchen and more food than usual.

It’s easy for pests around your property to find their way into your house. They can quickly identify entry points where they can get inside. Overwintering insects tend to congregate on south-facing exterior walls, then utilize gaps around windows and doors and small cracks to gain access to your house. Cockroaches and rodents will also use small openings to get inside. Even though rodents are relatively large compared to insects, they only need an opening the size of a dime to get inside.

Bed bugs have different reasons for invading your house. They also get inside homes in a way that differs from other pests. Although they are a common pest problem in the summer, bed bug infestations tend to increase around the holidays. These pests get from one location to another by riding on people’s clothing or in people’s belongings. Since travel increases during the holidays, it’s more likely that your home could be invaded by bed bugs at Thanksgiving or weeks after.

How to prevent pests this Thanksgiving

If you’re worried about a pest infestation putting a damper on your Thanksgiving celebration this season, act now! You can do several things to dissuade pests from getting into your Midwest home. Try these prevention tips to keep insects and rodents out of your home:

• Seal all entry points into your house, including cracks, crevices, holes, and gaps.
• Keep your yard and landscaping tidy, trimmed, and free of debris.
• Reduce moisture around the exterior of your house by making sure you have proper drainage.
• Store garbage bins and wood piles away from the sides of your house.
• Store all of your food in airtight containers.
• Wipe down countertops and rinse out the sink to keep them free of crumbs and other food particles.
• Wash dishes immediately after use.
• Clean up spills and messes as soon as they occur.
• Sweep your floor regularly.
• Take out the trash on a routine basis.
• Reduce humidity in your house.
• Address water leaks immediately.
• Remove clutter, both inside and outside.

For bed bugs, prevention is difficult, if not impossible, because of how they get into homes. Instead, you’ll want to carefully inspect for bed bugs regularly to identify an infestation as early as possible. Signs of bed bugs include:

• Live bed bugs on mattresses, box springs, headboards, and other furniture.
• Clusters of bug bites on your body.
• Red dots or tannish-brown smears on your sheets or blankets.

By being proactive, you can help avoid a pest infestation altogether or identify it in its earliest stages.