Pests are a serious cause for concern during the holidays! Not only are you anticipating a swarm of guests, but your home is about to contain the most food it’s seen since your last big bash. Pests such as insects and rodents are intuitive fiends that can sniff out festivities from miles away. (Literally! According to Marcus Stensmyr, senior lecturer at Lund University, research shows that flies can smell meat, under favorable conditions, up to 7km away.) What does that mean for your holiday? For one thing, it means that you are in constant peril of a pest invasion. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to prevent pests from imposing total authoritarian rule over your household. Follow these simple tips to protect your family, friends, and feast from pests this holiday season!

Rodent Pest Control: The Hungriest Guest

Defend Your Food. Thanksgiving is all about food. Unfortunately, so are pests. Leaving food out for extended periods of time is an open invitation for pests such as flies, cockroaches, and rodents. In addition to the actual feast, there are lots of opportunities for pests to sneak a bite of food:

1.       During Food Prep. Clean as you go! The Thanksgiving kitchen can get a little hectic, but cleaning as you go will deter curious mice looking for crumbs.

2.       Take Out the Trash. If the trash bin is full, take it out before you go to sleep! Leaving it full of scraps even for a day can invite flies who are looking for a cozy spot to breed.

3.       Cover Your Food. Always remember to cover your food with the container’s lid or plastic wrap. You’ll be glad you did! Once hungry insects taste-test your world-famous sweet potato casserole, it becomes much less appetizing. 

New Orleans Pest Control: Pests Start in Your Yard

Defend Your Lawn. Proper lawn maintenance can make a huge difference while protecting your home against pests this holiday season. Most pests (especially insects) are first attracted to the exterior of your home before making their way inside. Rodents love cozy piles in which to burrow. Insects are attracted to damp, dark areas in which to breed.

1.       Remove Debris. When you were a child, did you ever lift up rocks or logs to see which cool critters were hiding underneath? Imagine that little ecosystem amplified tenfold. Your yard is a cesspool of insects, and debris such as firewood, leaves, and branches attract all sorts of insects!

2.       Trim Your Trees. Tree branches situated near windows are the perfect place for sneaky pests to crawl into the upstairs of your home. Trimming back branches will help control pests, and even prevent rodents such as rats, mice, raccoons, and squirrels from joining you for dinner!

3.       Close Your Compost. Do you compost? Great! Just make sure the lid of your trash bins and compost bins are firmly latched and far enough away from your home that pests won’t cause any unwelcome disturbances.

Rodent Removal New Orleans: Kick Unwanted Guests Out of Your Home

Defend Your Home! This one sounds obvious, but there are specific ways you can defend your home that will make a big difference.

1.       Tidy up. One pest myth is that those with pests inherently have a dirty home. This is not true! It is true, however, that pests such as insects and rodents love finding places to hide. Eliminating clutter eliminates hiding spots.

2.       Check for Entryways. The pests are getting in somehow! Seal your loose doorframes and look for other gaps in windows or entryways that could let in unwanted critters! The more of these your find and

3.       Call a Professional. If you are expecting company in a week but are seeing the beginnings of a cockroach infestation, call a professional to treat your home before guests arrive! Many DIY pest control options are not founded in science and can either be ineffective or make the situation worse. For immediate, reliable results, call DIAL ONE Franklynn Pest Control.

Call DIAL ONE Franklynn Pest Control!

DIAL ONE Franklynn Pest Control has been protecting Thanksgiving feasts for over fifty years! During your holiday preparations this year, make sure you put pest control at the top of your list! Whether you have rats, mice, spiders, silverfish, termites, or cockroaches, DIAL ONE Franklynn will make sure your home is pest-free throughout the holiday season!