Don't sleep on winter pest control, bugs seek warm shelter during cold

This article was written for our sponsor, Moxie Pest Control.

As the seasons turn and the weather changes, so do our priorities. Instead of planning trips to the beach and making sure everyone has enough sunscreen, it's time to break out the scarves and stock up on hot chocolate.

This also means cranking up the heat and canceling your regular pest service, right? Just because the weather is changing doesn't mean there aren't pests in your house. Some species will seek the warmth of your home to survive the changing temperatures.

Many of the common pests we're concerned with throughout the year, like mosquitoes, hibernate in the winter, finding a relatively sheltered spot and hunkering down while the weather is cold. Other bugs die off, but not before laying eggs that will hatch once spring finally comes around. Unsurprisingly, these bugs commonly seek out shelter in attics, basements and crawl spaces.

While you likely won't see these bugs during the winter months, they are still there, waiting to re-awaken. Proactively treating for these pests will kill them before spring, ensuring they aren't able to wake up, breed and infect your home further.

If you wait, once you see one bug, it's too late and the population will increase overnight.

For many pest-conscious individuals, year-round treatment has made a noticeable difference. Tracy Whitt was concerned with the amount of pine roaches she was seeing in her home and wanted a proactive solution.

"We have pest control year-round," Whitt said. "I just found that they treat consistently and that it can help to be proactive. It took us two or three cycles before I noticed a huge difference."

There are a few other important steps you can take to keep your house pest-free during the winter months, including being careful when bringing any outdoor plants inside for the winter.

Even if this is just overnight to protect from frost, outdoor plants can be home to a number of critters like gnats, spiders and more. Some of these bugs are beneficial for plants when outdoors, but you don't want them in your house, so be wary when moving plants indoors.

Another common location for bugs to hide is in a firewood pile. A crackling fire is a great remedy for the coldest of nights, but if you're chopping and bringing in your own firewood, you may be bringing unwanted pests.

Termites, carpenter ants and a variety of beetles all like to make their homes in firewood piles. To avoid this, the first step is to store your firewood properly. Keeping your wood off the ground and away from the house makes it harder for pests to infest your woodpile and prevents them from getting to your house. Also, make sure your wood is as dry as possible, the drier it is, the less enticing for insects.

Finally, keep a close eye on the wood that you want to bring in. Visible tunnels on the wood means that a bug has taken up residence. These look like little trails or markings in the wood and are occasionally accompanied by exit holes.

Even following all these steps isn't a guarantee that you'll eliminate the pest problem in your home immediately. If you have an infestation during the winter, don't hesitate to call a pest control company to come take care of the problem.

"With Moxie [Pest Control], they have a guarantee if you see something, they'll come back and re-treat," Whitt pointed out. "During the winter everything dies."

Once spring and summer roll around, the last thing you want to have to worry about is a bug infestation. This is the busy season for many exterminators, and calls come in all the time. By proactively treating your house, you can avoid the warm weather bug awakening and beat your neighbors to the punch.

This article was written for our sponsor, Moxie Pest Control.