Holiday Pest Control Tips

The holiday season is in full swing and friends and families have already begun preparation for an exciting time of celebration. Thanksgiving and Christmas are seasons of rejoicing, times of thanksgiving, celebrating and lots of festive holiday food. Nonetheless, these gatherings for fun, food, and fellowship also include the exposures and risks of becoming infested with a plethora of pests.

Watch out for bed bugs when traveling

Celebrating with family and friends during the holidays calls for an increase in the use of commercial transportation and lodgings, each of which offers exposure to bed bug infestations. It is important to be aware of the appearance and behavioral patterns of bed bugs and how to inspect for possible presence of these biting pests.

Bed bugs are predominately nocturnal and very evasive. However, there are ways to check for them. Upon entrance to your hotel room, search for any sign of bed bugs.

• Pull the sheets back and inspect the mattress, especially the ribbing around the edge. You will want to look for the bugs as well as feces. The feces will appear as black specks of pepper.
• Do a similar search inside drawers and night stands.
• Remember that bed bugs can hide in the carpet, behind baseboards, inside receptacles and behind light switch plates, so be sure to check those areas.
• Keep clothing in your suitcase and use the suitcase racks. Do not leave your luggage sitting on the floor.

After spending time on airplanes and in hotels, be sure to inspect your luggage and clothing upon arriving to your destination. It is advisable to immediately place clothing inside the washing machine and launder your garments in the event an unwanted pest hitched a ride home with you.

Don’t let rodents and insects take over your kitchen

Other unwanted guests during your holiday festivities include pantry pests and rodents. Keep a sharp lookout for any insects in flour, sugar, and other baking ingredients as you bake your way through the holiday season.

To avoid food contamination, keep flour, grains, pastas, and other food stored in pest proof containers with tight-fitting lids. Keep everything wiped clean, counter tops washed off and crumbs removed from the pantry, cabinets, and floor. Don’t leave any food particles around to provide food for mice and other pests.

Keep an eye out for stowaways in holiday decor

Finally, ornaments, decorations, and even firewood are great opportunities for spiders, mice, and cockroaches as well as other pests to invade your home. Inspect boxes of ornaments and decorations as you take them out and again when packing them away for a later time. Store them in sealed totes to prevent pests from being able to have access to them. As for your firewood, only bring in the amount you will use within a day or two and give each piece a good shake outside to dislodge pests.

Enjoy a pest-free holiday season and call us if you need us!

Following these tips and observations will allow you to enjoy your holiday season and have a very happy time with family and friends. Should a pest problem arise, reach out to EnviroPest for help. Offering effective bed bug control and home pest control services in Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins as well as throughout NoCo, you can count on our experienced team of pest control specialists to get rid of pests this holiday season and all year long!

This blog was originally published 11/21/14. It has been updated to reflect the most up to date information.