It is common around the holidays for families to stock up on lots of extra food. There will likely be people visiting and staying for days at a time, so the best thing to do is buy as much as you can to avoid going back and forth to the supermarket in and out of the cold weather. Before you know it, your entire pantry is full, and you are ready for all of your guests. But there could possibly be a few unwanted guests who were patiently waiting for you to fill up the cupboards – destructive pests.

 Most people realize that there is a chance that rats and mice will invade a pantry easily if it is not kept tidy. They are great climbers and will get into anything they can claw through, such as a bag of pancake mix. But insects such as beetles are also very attracted to the food we normally store around the holidays, such as cereal and boxed pasta. There are also what are called Indian meal moths that can show up spontaneously. They can only live for about a month, but in a weeks’ time a female can lay a couple hundred eggs where you keep your edible goods.

The best thing to do to keep rodents and pests away is to basically just keep everything clean. Sure, you may disinfect your countertops and keep dishes out of the sink, and that is all good. But the pantry is a different place that is darker most of the time, so you have to be a little proactive to keep pests out of there. Before you go to the store and stock up on holiday food, remove everything from your pantry and cupboards, and give those normally ignored areas a good cleaning from the inside out. While you are doing so, keep an eye out for any holes, cracks, or other openings that you may not have noticed before.

​If after you do this you still notice traces of pests, call an experienced exterminator to help you eliminate them from your home.

When the winter of the year approaches, you need to be aware that there are always wild animals out there that are looking for food and shelter. And, if your home is not sealed up where they can’t get in, you will eventually begin to hear scratching or scurrying sounds in your attic or down in your basement. Also, you may notice droppings that have been left behind by a species of wild animal that has recently invaded your home. There are a few kinds to be aware of in the colder months, ones that are somewhat more aggressive than others.

Raccoons are probably the most aggressive wild pest that you could ever encounter. They are always digging through trash cans (their efficient hands help them to remove the lid off the can and ruffle through trash easily), and they will leave a big mess behind. Not only are they destructive, but they carry fleas and ticks as well. So, if you have a pet in your home, such as a dog or cat, your animal could possibly attain them from the wild species that has come in.

There are other types as well, such as roof rats. These rodents reproduce at a high rate. Squirrels are also prone to invading the upper parts of your home, as well as bats. Do an inspection of your home to seal up the holes and/or cracks that you find, make sure all trash near your home is carried off, and be sure that the areas where you cook and grill outside are clean. You also should be sure to not leave bird food or pet food out in the open where these wild animals can find it.

​If you still have pests around after you have taken these steps, contact a professional exterminator, they’ll take care of the problem so that you can rest assured knowing your home is pest free.