If you suspect rats or mice have taken up residence in your home this fall, you are not alone. According to a survey by the National Pest Management Association, 29 percent of Americans have dealt with a rodent infestation at home, and 45 percent — almost half — of those infestations happened during the fall or winter.
While spring and summer do have their share of rodent infestations, rodents are most common in the fall since mice and rats will seek cozy places where they can escape the upcoming cold. Once a few rodents find their way inside, their population can increase rapidly. A female mouse can give birth to up to 12 offspring every three weeks, and rats reproduce just as quickly.
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Bed bugs — they’re one of the most feared household pests, and rightfully so. They cause itchy bites, keep you up at night, and are difficult to get rid of. However, as fearful as many homeowners are of bringing home bed bugs, many don’t know very much about these tiny pests. The following are four interesting statistics to expand your knowledge and understanding of bed bugs.
Cockroaches are nasty little bugs that no one wants to find in their house. Seeing one in your home doesn’t necessarily mean that your house is dirty because it could have come from a neighbor. But seeing one in your house does mean that you have a lot more. Illinois is home to four common types of roaches. If you can ID the type that is in your house, the exterminator will be much more prepared when they come.
Summer in the city means more than warm weather and long day — a whole host of pests are common in Chicago during the summer months. Prepare yourself for the summer and the pests that come with it; preventing pests — big and small — in the first place is far easier than coping with an infestation.
Cockroaches thrive in the lush, warm conditions of summer. If you’re experiencing a cockroach invasion in your home, expect the problem to grow worse as the warm season progresses. When you want to win the war against cockroaches this summer, start by launching the three attacks described here.
Researchers are not quite sure when the practice of spring cleaning first began. Some trace it back to a Jewish practice performed during Passover, while others believe it began as an Iranian way of welcoming the Persian New Year. Nevertheless, spring cleaning remains a tradition in American households.