TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 21, 2017) – The holidays are the perfect time to gather together with family and friends, but if you aren’t careful you may have unexpected guests. Pests such as ants, cockroaches, grain beetles and meal moths are common invaders during the holiday season and can put a damper on your seasonal cheer.
“There are a number of ways that pests can enter the home during this time of year,” said Brad Pitts, regional vice president for Arrow Environmental Services, a leader in sustainable pest and lawn services in the Southeast. “The most common carriers are live Christmas trees, decorations that have been stored in the attic, and baking goods that are infested with pantry pests.”
To protect your home from seasonal pests, homeowners should take a number of precautions:
• If purchasing a live Christmas tree, vigorously shake the tree before bringing it indoors to remove any insects, mites or spiders.
• Inspect decorations that have been stored in the attic for pests and spiders and be sure to remove them before bringing items inside.
• Examine all baking goods for grain beetles, meal moths, ants and remove contaminated products. Check the products again a few weeks after the initial sweep to make sure that all of the eggs and larvae have been removed.
• Clean up all food and beverage items as soon as your holiday party has ended. Pests like ants and roaches are attracted to the random odds and ends that your guests leave behind, and you may wake up to an infestation.
• Keep food in sealed plastic or glass containers to keep pests out and keep your food safe.
Staying on top of your regular pest management program will also help prevent pests from becoming a problem.
“A professional will be able to tell if your home is prone to certain kinds of pests and can identify early signs of an infestation that you may not notice,” said Pitts. “This is important for pests like ants and roaches, because once you notice them, there is already a pest issue.”
In addition to identifying and treating an existing colony, a pest control professional can pinpoint small fixes that can prevent pest problems in the future. For instance, sealing gaps in weather stripping around doors and windows and repairing any cracks, tears or warping in your window screens.
If you think you may have a pest problem, don’t wait to call a trained professional. Professional lawn and pest control companies like Bug Out Service can treat your home and eradicate pests before your holiday guests arrive.
About Arrow Environmental Services:
Arrow Environmental Services is a leader in sustainable pest and lawn services around the Southeast, building on a family tradition established more than 100 years ago. Arrow offers residential and commercial pest control, termite control, insulation services, lawn and shrub pest control and fertilization, tree and palm care, and irrigation services in west and central Florida. We guarantee customer satisfaction to the fullest extent, “period.”
Arrow is one of four brands operating under Sarasota-based Environmental Pest Service (EPS). EPS, formerly Arrow Environmental Holdings, also operates Bug Out Service in Jacksonville, Skyline Pest Solutions in the metro Atlanta and surrounding areas, and State Pest Control in central North Carolina. For more information, visit www.arrowservices.com.