Halloween is all about spooky decorations, costumes, and treats, but the last thing you want is real pests making themselves at home. As temperatures drop, rodents, spiders, and insects start looking for food and shelter, and your festive decorations and candy can attract them. Without proper precautions, your Halloween fun could turn into a real-life pest nightmare in Fairview Heights, IL.
How Halloween Decorations Attract Pests
Outdoor decorations like pumpkins, hay bales, and cornstalks may create the perfect Halloween aesthetic, but they can also invite unwanted guests. A carved pumpkin left outside for too long will start to rot, attracting ants, flies, and even rodents. Hay bales and stacked decorations can serve as hiding spots for mice, spiders, and other pests looking for warmth. Even indoor decorations can be a problem. Storage boxes that have been sitting in basements, attics, or garages all year could already be infested with spiders, cockroaches, or rodents. When you bring them inside, you may unknowingly introduce pests into your Fairview Heights, IL home.
Candy and Pest Problems
Halloween candy isn’t just a favorite for trick-or-treaters—it’s also a huge attraction for pests. If candy is left out in open bowls, it can quickly draw ants, cockroaches, and even mice. Wrappers that get dropped or left on the floor provide easy access to food, and even a small spill can lead to an infestation.
Garbage cans filled with candy wrappers, discarded pumpkins, and food waste can also be a major draw for pests. If trash isn’t taken out promptly, it can become a breeding ground for cockroaches and rodents.
How to Keep Pests Away This Halloween
Properly Store and Dispose of Pumpkins
Pumpkins can be a major pest magnet, but taking the right steps can help. Instead of leaving them to rot outside, dispose of them as soon as they start softening. If you want to keep them fresh longer, spraying them with a mixture of vinegar and water can help deter bugs. Keeping pumpkins off the ground can also make them less accessible to rodents.
Secure Your Candy and Keep the Area Clean
To avoid attracting pests, keep candy in sealed containers rather than leaving it in open bowls. After trick-or-treating, make sure to sweep and vacuum any crumbs, and take out the trash regularly. If candy spills occur, clean them up immediately before ants and other insects find them.
Check Decorations for Pests
Before bringing decorations inside, inspect storage boxes for droppings, webs, or signs of rodent activity. Shake out fabric-based decorations, such as costumes or fake cobwebs, to remove any hidden insects. When storing decorations for next year, use plastic bins with tight lids instead of cardboard boxes, which rodents can chew through.
Seal Entry Points Around Your Home
Rodents and insects can squeeze through even the smallest openings. Check your home’s exterior for cracks in doors, windows, and foundations, sealing any gaps with caulk or weather stripping. Keep basement windows and garage doors closed when not in use to prevent pests from sneaking inside.
Maintain Your Yard
A messy yard can be a breeding ground for pests. Rake up fallen leaves, keep bushes trimmed, and store firewood away from the house. If you’re using hay bales or corn stalks for decoration, keep them away from doors and windows to prevent pests from moving indoors.
Call Brady Pest Solutions for pest control services around Halloween time.
