Ever wondered why fall and winter as referred to as “rodent season?” While rodent infestations can be a problem during any season, cold weather is more likely to drive these pests inside homes than during other times of the year. WHY YOU SHOULD START RODENT-PROOFING BEFORE WINTER If you haven’t started rodent-proofing your home yet this autumn, here’s why you’ll want to get started ASAP. 1. Rodents look for shelter from cold weather. Rats and mice may have fur, but that doesn’t mean they like the cold any more than you do. Instinct drives these creatures to seek a warm, dry place to hold up during the coldest, harshest months of the year. The comfiest place around is going to be a temperature-controlled human home. Once inside a home, rodents can cause a lot of damage as they forage for nest materials. They can use their teeth and claws to rip up papers, fabric, upholstery, and insulation. Also, because rodents need to keep their ever-growing incisors filed down, they may chew through your electrical wires, ductwork, drywall, and more. 2. Rodents’ food supplies start shrinking as winter approaches. Most rodents are “opportunistic omnivores,” meaning they can survive off an animal- and plant-based diet, but they’ll tend to eat what is readily available. Seeds, grains, and plant materials become scarce during winter, so mice will resort to digging up larvae from the dirt to eat. Rats will stockpile as much food as they can in their nests, but their supplies don’t always last. During winter, rodents often try to get food from human homes, tearing through garbage, ripping open bags of pet food in garages and basements, and invading pantries. They might also try to eat the birdseed out of birdfeeders. 3. Rodents reproduce extremely fast. Rodents typically give birth to multiple babies at once and have multiple litters each year. In only one year, a single mouse can give birth to about 35 babies. Each of those babies can start reproducing at just 2 months of age. As you can see, the mouse population in your home can explode in a very short time. RODENT-PROOFING TIPS FOR COLD WEATHER Your home might be more vulnerable to a rodent infestation than you think. Use these rodent-proofing tips to help prevent problems with these pests throughout the year: Cut back any tree branches that are growing up against your home, especially any that might give rodents access to your roof. Use steel wool to block exterior vents (while still allowing ventilation), and seal the edges with caulk. Equip your windows with weather stripping. Make sure your exterior doors and garage door each have a sweep that makes contact with the doorframe or ground all the way across. Use a foam sealant or steel wool and caulk to seal any gaps the size of a nickel or bigger around your home’s exterior. Keep woodpiles at least twenty feet away from your home. Trim back any overgrown bushes and shrubs. Need rodent control that’s safe for your family and pets? At Greenix Pest Control, we use responsible, sustainable treatments designed to keep your family members safe, including the four-legged ones! Contact us online or give us a call today.