Booooo!!!!!!
Sorry about that. I didn't mean to scare you, but in the spirit of Halloween, I felt it was my duty to jump you out of your skin. What do you mean it didn't jump you? Are you saying I-- "BLAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"
Unexpected noises don't play well in the written word, do they? Masters of horror must resort to something else--something far more sinister, something I call "the creep factor". We all have fears, and fear produces adrenaline. If an author like Stephen King can plant a creepy thought in your head, he can produce the same fight or flight response mechanism that kicks in when you leap out from behind a door with a freaky mask on, and scare your little brother. Your heart rate will elevate. Your skin will tingle. And, you'll even notice your breaths shortening. For some, this is what Halloween is all about.
Though being scared for Halloween can be exhilarating, no one wants to live in that heightened state of tension, not even Stephen King. So here is a short list of creepy Halloween pests, and how to keep them out of your home.
Spiders
When you think of Halloween, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For me, it's cobwebs. No crypt scene or haunted house is complete without them. They are in practically every window, and on every porch, Halloween night. And, spiders are a popular horror movie insect, because they are creepy. The word creepy probably comes from spiders.
Bats
Blah blah, they want to suck your blood. Actually, bats don't dine on blood like mosquitoes, bed bugs, and fleas. But they do bite. And, they are second on the list of rabies spreading mammals. Bats are fun to freak us out on Halloween, but this is not a pest you want living in your attic, garage, or shed. They carry diseases and parasites in their fur and in their excrement.
Centipedes
Have you seen the Mummy? That's all I'm going to say about this fall pest. These critters are nasty to look at, and they also have a fairly painful bite. When it gets cold, or the water table rises, these bugs seek safety in basements, and other damp, dark places.
Here are six ways to keep these, and other creepy crawlies, out of your home.
Keep your trash in sealed containers. It is a food source and a breeding site for pests. If a fly lays its eggs in your trash, it will produce more flies. This will lure spiders into your yard, because spider love the taste of flies.
Reduce exterior light. If you have white bulbs, consider replacing them with insect-resistant yellow bulbs. And, keep your curtains drawn at night, to keep bugs away. Lights start a chain reaction. Most insects are drawn to light. The ones that aren't, come to eat the ones that are. Before you know it, you have a whole ecosystem of bugs crawling on your walls.
Don't leave fruit or food outside. This will produce fruit flies, or draw bugs and critters to your yard. If they aren't in your yard, they're not going to discover how awesome it is inside your home.
Don't give insects a place to breed, especially near your foundation walls. If you have a woodpile or construction material in your yard, move it 20 feet away. Insects lay their eggs in damp, dark, moist areas, or near rotted wood.
Seal your house. Check your screens, door sweeps, and weather stripping. Explore your foundation and walls, and fill in any gaps. A caulking gun is great for filling in holes and sealing up cracks, until you're able to get those areas fixed properly.
For added protection, have a professional do a treatment on your walls, and or perimeter. They only use a limited and focused amount of pesticide, but it is enough to keep those bugs from crawling all over you foundation and exterior walls. And, if they aren't crawling on your house, they're not going to stumble onto those tiny holes you may have missed.
Halloween is filled with creepy things--your house shouldn't be. It is fun to be scared or creeped out, but it shouldn't be a way of life. Learn more about exclusion methods, and how to protect your home and your family from fall pests. It is easier and safer than you think.