February Pest Problems in Wisconsin

Though we’ve had some spring-like weather in the past few weeks, it isn’t quite warm enough for many seasonal pests to come alive. We’re mostly treating homes for mice, fleas and bedbugs at this time of year. Learn more about these February pests:

February Pests 1 & 2: Mice and Fleas

Mice move indoors in the cold weather to find food and shelter. The National Pest Management Association estimates they invade 21 million homes every winter. Rodents carry hundreds of diseases, posing a major health problem even when you don’t come directly in contact with them. Mice constantly give off micro-droplets of urine, and you can catch diseases from breathing in rodent-contaminated dust.

Mice also carry and spread fleas throughout your home. Many people also end up with fleas after family or friends bring pets to visit. Fleas produce up to 500 offspring in 100 days, meaning it won’t take long for them to become an infestation! Check out our tips to keep fleas out of your house.

February Pest Problem 3: Bedbugs

We’re getting a lot of calls from Fox Valley residents about bedbugs. They spread easily, and they can infest anyone’s home. Many people accidentally bring them home on used furniture, clothes and luggage. A major bedbug hub is actually right in our backyard. Milwaukee ranks 29th on a list of U.S. cities most infested by bedbugs.

To check for bedbugs, start by moving everything away from the bed. Place everything in a clean bathtub or rack that’s off the floor. Put on rubber or latex gloves and grab a flashlight and an old credit card. Take all the sheets and blankets off the bed, and start going over it with the flashlight and credit card. Look for shed bedbug skins, eggs, excrement and bloodstains. Make sure to run the credit card along the seams of the mattress to check for living bedbugs. You should also check any buttons, straps or tags on the bed. You can even go as far as flipping the mattress and checking the other side as well as the bed frame.

Don’t forget to examine other furniture in your home! Bedbugs can live in cushions, cribs, nightstands, dressers, curtains, decorative pillows and more. Our previous blog has more ways to prevent bedbugs.

Call us at (920) 582-9000 for a free estimate or with any February pest prevention questions.