Our Warm Winter Causes Population Increases in Rats and Insects
The mild temperatures we have been experiencing this winter will alter the populations of pests such as rodents and insects.
Winter is coming. Or is it? The UK has experienced some astonishingly mild temperatures so far this season and the big freeze seems a long time coming. Although temperatures have just dropped today, overall the past month has ben extremely warm for December / January.
However, it’s not all good news for Essex residents who are enjoying the mild weather conditions. Unfortunately, the cost of having warm winter weather is an increase in pest problems.
Insects Reproducing Sooner
Hibernation is typical for many types of insects. They would normally sleep through the winter, then wake up to start reproducing when the weather is pleasant. As the temperatures haven’t yet dipped low enough, insects could all be out much earlier this year. This will give them a longer time to reproduce and so we should all be prepared for significantly larger populations of insects in 2016.
More Rodents Surviving Winter
A similar problem exists for rodent pests such as rats and mice. The cold winter temperatures would normally be responsible for a natural cull of part of the population of rodents. As this won’t happen on the same scale, it is likely that there will be large numbers of rodents appearing this summer.
Rats and mice tend to stay outdoors during the warmer weather, then enter our homes during the winter months. Although the weather isn’t as cold as usual, it’s still possible that pests will enter our homes in search of food and warmth. It’s important that homeowners keep their properties clean and free of food crumbs and scraps which will tempt unwanted visitors. They should also block off obvious entry points to their homes to prevent pests from gaining access.
If you want to safeguard your property from an invasion of pests, then it is important to take action now by stocking up on pesticides, traps and by contacting a Essex pest control for advice. Once you’ve taken steps to protect your home from pests, you can sit back and enjoy the warm weather for even longer.
