Oct 28, 2022, 11:06 AM by Fred Speer

Clark, your friendly pest, grounds care, termite, mosquito, and rodent expert, is a big fan of Halloween. Does that surprise you? Because spiders, bats, and creepy crawly insects are part of the everyday business activities at Clark Pest Control, it should be no surprise that October 31 is a popular day around here.

Halloween also means that temperatures are cooling, and pests’ natural food sources are becoming scarcer. The change in weather and loss of food alters pest behavior and forces them into survival mode, which means that they will begin working harder to gain access inside your home in search of food and a warm place to spend the winter.

You should be on the lookout for the following ghastly pests this Halloween and take proactive steps to prevent these unwanted trick or treaters from crashing the party.

 

Spiders

If there is a pest synonymous with Halloween, it’s the spider. Fall is prime spider season in and around homes. Spiders reach maturity during the fall months, and while spiders are beneficial to our environment because they hunt and eat other less desirable insects, certain species of spiders can present a threat when you unknowingly cross their path.

Spiders, including the brown widow, typically nest in areas that do not see a lot of human activity. Popular spider hangouts include stacks of old newspapers, cardboard storage boxes (spiders like to hide under the folded flaps), rolled-up rugs, and infrequently used clothes and shoes in attics, closets, and crawlspaces. Outdoors, brown widow spiders can be found under rocks and landscape features as well as in the dark corners of sheds and garages.

You can avoid an unwanted encounter with spiders by doing the following:

• Remove clutter and debris inside and outside your home, including storage boxes, old newspapers, woodpiles, scrap lumber, and other potential harborages.
• Inspect items closely that you remove from storage, and give them a good shake outdoors to dislodge spiders or other pests. When pulling items out of storage, wear a pair of heavy work gloves.
• Store off-season or occasionally used items (garden gloves, boots, athletic shoes, baseball mitts, camping gear, sleeping bags) in tightly closed containers to keep spiders out.
• Seal cracks and crevices around doors, windows, on the foundation, and access holes for electrical conduits or plumbing.

 

Rodents

Another pest that kicks up its activity level around Halloween are rodents. As cooler weather arrives, rodents – especially mice – look for warmer locations to live and for new sources of food.

Learn more about the telltale signs that your home could have rodents in our recent blog, Does my house have rodents?

 

Bats

Bats are another well-recognized symbol of Halloween, but they can make people feel quite uncomfortable, and they are known carriers of rabies. Many Californians do not often see bats, but bats are active all over the Golden State.

Each night, bats fly through our fields, neighborhoods, and cities, eating massive numbers of insect pests. They are vital to maintaining a healthy ecosystem and benefit our crops by eating pests. They are also a fascinating, diverse group of mammals.

Bats are nocturnal mammals that can be found in many kinds of places, including attics, warehouses, outbuildings, barns, siding or roofs of houses and other buildings, bridges, parking garages, woodpiles, trees, bat houses, caves, mines, and rock crevices. They are known to fly from their secluded nests at dusk to get food, returning just before daylight.

• Do not pick up or touch live or dead bats with your bare hands.
• If you are scratched or bitten by a bat, or are touched by saliva of a dead or live bat, contact your local public health department along with your health care provider.

You can screen attic vents and openings to chimneys to keep bats out. If your home has bats, it’s important to contact a licensed pest professional like Clark Pest Control to assess the situation.

 

Got questions about creepy, crawly pests? Call Clark.

Call California’s trusted, friendly pest control expert at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or email us at clarkcares@clarkpest.com to help protect your home from creepy, crawly pests that want to make your home their home.  

Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home and yard.