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You may or may not be aware that everything hibernates in the winter. So, you might want to take some steps to prevent pests from nesting. Fortunately, it’s easier than you think, and there’s no reason you even have to cause any harm to any animal taking up residence.
Check Common Nesting Places
First, you need to understand some of the most common nesting places and take steps to ensure they aren’t habitable. And you would be surprised. For example, the small space and the warmth of your dryer make a great home for small mammals. So, if you hire a reputable professional dryer vent cleaning service, they will do more than clean your vents to prevent fire. They will also check for and assist with pest removal and install preventative measures.
Prevent Pests with Things they Don’t Like
Pests in the garden can also be a pain. Many garden variety insects are sensitive to certain things, which is fortunate. For example, slugs don’t like copper pipes or the sharp corners of eggshells. Putting these things around plants may keep many organisms away. Putting plastic water bottles and stalks around the base of crops is another way to keep pests away. This makes it hard for them to find a place to live. Also, using a natural repellent will help. Diatomaceous earth is a common form of cockroach pest control, for example, and is totally natural.
Make Your Home and Garden Uncomfortable
Eliminating places for animals to nest will make your home or garden less appealing to them. These are things like piles of brush, small spaces, and tall grass. So, make sure no one can get into the crawl space under your porch or deck. Also, make sure that food sources are hard to get to. For example, you can keep raccoons away from your compost pile by covering them with a tight-fitting lid. And you can keep squirrels away by putting away bird feeders that contain nuts.
Try Scent Repellents
Scent repellents can be useful short-term fixes. But to keep working, they need to be checked on and used again. But they are inexpensive. Here are a few good ones to use:
- Homemade sprays using pantry items like hot chili peppers work well on rabbits.
- Plants like castor beans and fritillaria will put off any rodents that come by.
- Mothballs can help discourage certain animals, like snakes and bats.
- Urine from predators will help stop woodland animals from coming by.
- Garlic is good against insects like caterpillars and some spiders.
All of these are good choices. But you have to be careful with how you use some scent deterrents. But be careful, as some, like mothballs, are dangerous for children and pets.
Get a Dog or a Cat
Dogs and cats are common pets and make great companions. So, there are 76 million domesticated dogs and 58 million domesticated cats just in the USA. In the garden, they can be a bother. But they can also help control other furry animals that are a problem. Mice and other small animals are especially easy for cats to catch. Even though dogs aren’t great hunters, they are great at scaring away mammals, mostly because their scent marks their territory.
Prevent Pests with Some Fencing
Exclusion is the only long-term solution that is sure to work. A fence, on the other hand, can be long-lasting or just put up for the season and taken down when it’s not needed. For a smaller area, putting up a fence can be pretty easy. For instance, you can cut mesh fencing to the right size and affix it to fence posts. You could use an electric fence as a last resort to get rid of pests that keep coming back. These work well for common pests like gophers, rabbits, and deer.
Check Your BBQ for Pests
Small animals can live in the things you leave outside. A great example is the BBQ. If you see bugs or birds around your BBQ all the time, you likely have a pest problem. Cobwebs are also a sign. Even a small spider can stop your BBQ from heating up right. Not much in the winter, but they can cause damage when it comes to summer. Bugs also love to live in the control knobs, the exhaust gas tubes, and the regulator. So, be sure to take everything out before you cook.
Summary
Winter is a time when some animals hibernate in their nests. However, not all do, and they look for somewhere warm, like your home. Fortunately, you can easily prevent pests. First, have a professional inspect common nesting places, try scent repellents and put up fencing if required.