a tree in front of a house

Pesky Pests & Holiday Handouts

One of the best parts of the holiday season is gift-giving and delicious food. However, pests love these things to. To prevent infestations, it's important to understand how your festivities affect the insects around: Here's what you need to know!

More Food, More Problems

The pantry gets a little full around the holidays - and that spells trouble from pests. Plenty of Georgia bugs are looking for warm places filled with food to stay for the winter (including beetles, ants and earwigs). As your pantry and cupboards fill up, it becomes harder to keep track of all the food. Always make sure food is properly stored. Avoid paper or cardboard covers, and store any food gifts in sealable plastic bins.

Waste Not, Pest Not

With all that food around, it can become hard to keep track of treats (especially if kids or pets are involved). That means a lot of foodstuffs going a little rotten or hiding in corners, where they are perfectly positioned to draw in pests. Keep track of food and throw away anything that's starting to spoil!

Food as Decoration

Food gifts are very common around the holidays, but they cause bundles of pest problems. Don't leave gifts of food in the car or under the tree, and don't use any type of food (even candy canes) as decoration. Your Christmas tree can absolutely be filled with bug eggs and insects without you realizing it. These bugs don't need any more temptation to settle down in your house. If you do notice an uptick in bugs or pests around the holidays in your Georgia home, don't hesitate to call Breda Pest Management! The sooner we can get out and find the source, the sooner we can fix the problem.

A Word about Other Décor

Christmas trees aren't the only thing that can harbor bugs. Wreathes, lights, boughs and much more can harbor insects, especially after a year outside or in the attic. Keep all these materials away from your food, and clean them thoroughly before using them.

Other Gift Giving Woes

Families and friends also live to give each other clothes, or presents in cardboard boxes: These materials can transport annoying bugs or insect eggs hundreds of miles away. Be aware of the possibility that gifts from others - even if wrapped - could harbor unpleasant surprises.

Photo Source: Flickr