How is your to-do list for Christmas coming along? We know ours is getting longer and longer. With travel plans to make, gifts to buy and meals to plan, winter pests are the last thing you want to worry about. Here are the 12 signs you may to watch out for as we head into Christmas. Remember that pest solutions are still available from Empire even though it’s the holiday season.
1. Instead of tinsel on your Christmas tree, there’s spiders
This is actually a very common occurrence for many UK households. When you buy real trees, they come from outside. And what lives outside? Creepy crawlies! Spiders can infest Christmas trees. Then when you bring the tree into your home, you’ve got a spider pest control problem to deal with. Spiders can be a form of free pest control capturing flies and other pests. But the last thing you want is them in your house, let alone your Christmas tree. To save your tree, simply hoover up the spiders and their webs.
2. Boughs of holly? You have to deck the halls with mouse traps
Nothing ruins a great Christmas meal than a mouse scurrying across the floor. Mice are very common at this time of year as they enter our homes to get away from the cold outside. To prevent winter pests like mice, make sure that any gaps, holes and cracks around your home are properly sealed. This includes around windows and doors. A mouse only needs half a centimetre to squeeze through and enter your property.
3. Ants have infested my gingerbread house!
Ants in the cranberry sauce? Not very festive. Ants love a great food source and your home will be full of them this Christmas. When you’re throwing your food away, make sure you do so into a bin with a sealed lid. Indoor bins should be emptied at least once a day so that ants don’t get a whiff of your Christmas dinner and come running.
4. Fruit flies have infested my figgy pudding
Some people love Christmas pudding, others don’t. But one pest who will be making the most of your brandy butter will be the flies. Much like ants, flies will be attracted to open food sources. So keep rubbish to a minimum, and make sure all of those lovely turkey leftovers are stored in an airtight container so no fly can get to them. Nobody wants salmonella for Christmas.
5. Our stockings have been eaten by moths
Not only have you got your stockings out of storage to find them moth eaten, they’ve done the same to your woollen Christmas jumper too. Stored clothing are a haven for moths. To prevent moths taking root in your stored clothing next year, make sure to clean everything before you pack it away. You should also pack it away in sealed boxes that will prevent any moths from going near the clothing.
6. The cockroaches have got Christmas covered
Much the same as rodents, a cockroach can be a really unappealing Christmas visitor. Cockroaches love to eat paper, and unused wrapping paper could be a real crowd pleaser for a cockroach. If you’re not going to use wrapping paper this year, make sure it’s stored properly well away from anywhere a cockroach could potentially get to it.
7. Ratatouille isn’t on the Christmas menu…
No one wants a plate full of rat bacteria infested food for their Christmas lunch. Rats can run across kitchen surfaces, transferring their germs which then makes its way onto our food. These bacteria can cause serious illnesses, so it’s best to get any rat infestations dealt with as soon as you notice them.
photo courtesy of Jeff Christiansen
8. Bed bugs have nestled snug in your bed
Are you itching for the holiday season to be over? It may not just be the Christmas blues that are leaving you scratching. Bed bugs are a very common Christmas winter pest with all the visitors that come and go from our houses. Make sure you know the signs of bed bugs so you don’t get caught out with an infestation this year.
9. Another one to tick off the Christmas list
Ticks are very common at this time of year. They will happily latch on to one of your pets when you’re out for a Christmas stroll. Once your pet has one on them, these ticks can move around your home and even latch onto you.
10. Naughty or nice?
Do squirrels cause some problems for you at this time of year? Squirrels want somewhere warm to spend the winter, and your loft could be the perfect place. Make sure that any holes in your roofing are fixed. When you get the decorations down, just do a quick squirrel check as well.
11. Lords a leaping? No, but there’s plenty of fleas hopping
Just because it’s the winter doesn’t mean you should let up on treating your pets for fleas. An itchy, scratchy Christmas is no-ones idea of a good time. Keep up your hoovering and wash your pets bedding regularly.
12. Did I put chocolate sprinkles on the mince pies?
We thought we would leave you to wonder about this one!
Joking aside though…You really can ensure you‘re pest free for the holidays with Empire Pest Control. The extensive training our staff go through make us a natural choice. Unlike many other small pest control technicians, we offer you all the benefits of a large, experienced company that is accredited with the BPCA, as well as our affiliation with associations such as NPTA, SAFECONTRACTOR and SAFE4SITE.
As you can see from all our positive reviews, the confidence our customers have in our company is the reason they come back time after time. The fact the company is insured up to £10 million give peace of mind compared with hiring smaller outfits with no insurance.
If you live in London or the Home Counties and you’re having a problem with any of these Christmas pests, don’t hesitate to call us so we can provide you with the right advice. Our customer service team will be ready for your enquiry throughout the holiday period, 24 hours a day on 0203 633 2143.
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