Nampa experiences more than just snow and cold during the winter: uninvited guests are also driven inside. Many homeowners believe that pests vanish when the temperature drops, but that is far from the case. Your warm, snug home is the perfect snuggle spot for a variety of insects and rodents looking to escape the brutal Idaho winter.
These pests do not just pop up out of nowhere; they are seeking entry to your home, a food source, and a warm place to nest that your home provides. Nampa averages 124 freezing days each year, according to the most recent data, providing ample incentive for pests to move indoors. If you are also noticing extra activity around your baseboards, kitchen, or attic, contacting your local Nampa exterminators can help you address the issue before it becomes an outbreak.
Common Pests That Are Most Active in Winters in Nampa
- House Mice
In Nampa homes, the most frequent winter intruders are these little rodents. House mice can fit through holes the size of a dime and usually make nests in wall voids, attics, and basements where it is warm and quiet.
- Brown Recluse Spiders
While not quite as active as in spring and summer months, brown recluse spiders still venture indoors in search of dark, undisturbed spaces during winter. They favor closets, storage boxes, and little-used areas.
- German Cockroaches
These kitchen nuisances can breed in your heated house year-round. German cockroaches are highly attracted to moisture and food residue, which is why your kitchen and bathrooms are their favorite places to congregate during the winter.
- Boxelder Bugs
Boxelder bugs, among the more common sights for Nampa residents, will gather on the sunny sides of homes during autumn and, if possible, enter the house through cracks or crannies to overwinter in wall voids.
- Cluster Flies
These slow flies congregate in attics and upper levels throughout the roof space in winter. But lots of them can get annoying when they emerge on warmer winter days; for the record, they are not harmful.
- Norway Rats
Norway rats are good burrowers that commonly enter homes through foundation cracks or broken vents looking for food or warmth during Nampa’s colder months, and they’re larger than house mice.
Why Nampa’s Weather Makes It Even Worse
The winter weather in Nampa creates ideal conditions for pests to invade. Pests flock to heated shelters during January, when the city’s average low is 23°F. Another thing is that Nampa’s location in the Treasure Valley means temperatures can fluctuate, and those brief warm spells trick pests into coming out of your home before retreating into your walls.
Many homes in the area were built before modern pest-proofing standards, so our older housing stock offers innumerable entry points. Throw in freezing outdoor temperatures and warm home temperatures just beyond your walls, and pests become extremely determined to come inside.
Practical Ways to Get Rid of Them
- Seal all entry points – Go around the exterior of your home and seal cracks, holes around utility lines, and spaces below entryways. Make sure you monitor the areas where pipes enter and exit your house.
- Remove food sources – Use airtight containers for pantry goods, avoid leaving crumbs, and do not leave pet food out overnight.
- Reduce moisture – Seal open doors, fix dripping faucets, and install dehumidifiers in wet basements and ensure appropriate airflow in lavatories and crawl spaces.
- Declutter storage areas – Pests like to hide in boxes and clutter. Use plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes and maintain organization in storage areas.
- Maintain your yard – Clear plants from around the perimeter of your house and dispose of or remove woodpiles that insects might use to reach your home.
For Nampa homeowners facing ongoing winter pest infestations, Saela Pest Control has the tools to address the unique challenges of Idaho’s climate. Their knowledge of Treasure Valley winters leads them to perform treatments that both eliminate what is already here and help prevent new invaders from entering during the cold months.