While many consider it an asset that winters in Louisiana can be quite mild, warmer temperatures are an invitation to common house pests to stick around, even in the winter months. Here are seven common house pests that wreak havoc in Louisiana homes, and what to look out for if you believe you may have one of these taking up residence in your home. Believe you may have one of these pests as a new roommate? Don’t despair! There are safe and efficient methods of eliminating all of these from your home.
Mice
The most common mammalian pest, these critters, while small, can do a huge amount of damage. Whether it’s chewing through drywall and cabinetry, or nibbling on your home’s wiring and causing a huge fire hazard, mice are not the innocent wall-dwellers they are sometimes made out to be.
What to look for:
Mice are easy to identify by their droppings. Small, pellet-size droppings in secluded spaces may mean you have mice on your hands. Other things to look for are chew marks or small nibbled holes on walls and cabinets. Trust your ears: while quiet, you can sometimes hear mice scrabbling around inside your walls. They make the most mischief at night, so you are more likely to hear them after bedtime.
Carpenter Ants
While winter temperatures normally make ants go dormant, if any Louisiana cold snaps just aren’t cold enough, ants forgo their hibernation to take up residence in your nice, warm home. Carpenter ants build their nests in humid environments, so the humidity of Louisiana suits them just fine. These ants are fairly destructive – they bore holes through any soft or damaged wood in your home to build their nests. If left uncontrolled, these ants can do serious damage to your home.
What to look for:
An easy tell-tale for carpenter ants are little piles of sawdust or wood shavings. Carpenter ants make a small rustling noise as they burrow through your walls, so keep an ear out for subtle noises inside your walls. You can tell if any wood structure has damage from carpenter ants if it sounds hollow when tapped on.
Raccoons
Nature’s bandits are a wintertime pest that will take up residence in your attic or any crawl-spaces beneath your house. They do not hibernate and find their way into your home in search of a warm spot to live. Outside of rummaging through your trash cans, raccoons can be quite destructive if inside your home. They are nest-builders and will chew holes through walls, ducts, and insulation. They will urinate and defecate in the area of their nests, which is a health hazard to your family.
What to look for:
Raccoons are a larger pest found in Louisiana, so you can most likely hear them, especially if they are in an attic. They are nocturnal and will be most active at night. Keep an eye out for large chewed holes, or for debris from their nest building. They are thieves, and missing pet food may be a sign of a raccoon visit.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are incredibly common pests, that tend to multiply in the winter months. They are attracted to humidity, making Louisiana homes especially susceptible. They are elusive so it can be hard to tell if you have them. Their flat bodies make it incredibly easy for them to gain access to your home, and stay hidden for long periods. Roaches are a hazard to your family, as they can be carriers of bacteria and viruses. They can survive extended periods without food or water, making them a formidable pest.
What to look for:
Keep an eye out for cockroach droppings – they eat many things we would never consider food, so look everywhere. They keep to the dark, but you may see one scuttle away if you turn on a light in a previously dark room.
Spiders
While many house spiders can be harmless, you can never be too careful when you live in Brown Recluse country. These highly-venomous spiders move inside during the winter months, following behind their prey. While they normally stick to themselves, these spiders can have very dangerous bites if provoked.
What to look for:
Any small brown spider that has a violin-shaped mark on its back, hence the recluse’s other name, the “fiddleback.” Their webs are usually built near ground level.
Silverfish
These little pests thrive in humidity, making them a common sighting in Louisiana. They love to eat paper products and can cause quite a bit of destruction. Their tiny bodies make it easy for them to gain access to nearly every crack and crevice in your home.
What to look for:
Outside of spotting these in your home, the easiest way to identify silverfish is by their droppings. They are small, black and spherical, and are unique to the insect. Also keep an eye out for silverfish damage, which is usually characterized by small holes chewed through paper and cardboard.
Fleas
Ask anyone: fleas can be one of the hardest pests to rid your home of. Their breeding cycle allows their eggs to lie dormant, long after you’ve eradicated any adults. Fleas normally require a multi-stage elimination process, but with the proper care, it is possible to rid yourself of these itchy pests.
What to look for:
Fleas prefer to live on animals, so if your pets are itching a lot, fleas may be the cause. If your pet has fleas, they will be visible in their fur. Fleas are quite active, and can easily be transferred from your pet to your family. Flea bites are small and red, and very itchy.
If you find yourself facing an infestation of any of these pests this winter, remember there are many methods to eradicate them from your home. Only a certified pest technician can remove these critters from your home safely and effectively. So don’t wait – call Pied Piper Pest Control today and enjoy your home critter-free.