Three Clever Ways Pest Get (And Stay) Inside Your Home

Son of a NUT-cracker, the holidays are almost upon us!  If you’re hoping to celebrate from Thanksgiving through the New Year sans nuisance and destructive insects and rodents, then you’ll want to take a moment to familiarize yourself with a few of the more clever ways pests get inside and stay inside your home.

Three Clever Ways Pest Get (And Stay) Inside Your Home

On your houseplants

Everyone knows the pests can slip through cracks and gaps on the exterior of the house, chew their way in (here’s looking at you rats and mice), or walk right through an open door but they can also find their way in by less obvious, more clever means. Like houseplants for instance. Plants that typically reside on decks, patios, and other outdoor living spaces during the warm days of summer and early spring may not survive outdoors during the New Jersey nights we have ahead of us. So while bringing them indoors is an excellent way to preserve them, it could also lead to infestation. It’s not just your old plants either. Buying plants at the grocery store, farmers market, or nursery may also result in a pest problem if you’re not careful. 

Where to look for pests on your plants

Spiders and other bugs could be crawling around or hanging out on your plants’ leaves. When inspecting, don’t forget to check the underside of the leaves. 

The soil is another potential hotspot for pest activity. Earwigs, ants, and other house-infesting pests, if infesting your plants, are likely to be visible on the topsoil and around the drainage areas. Depending on the pest, you could find insects below the surface level. 

How prevent or get rid of pests on houseplants before you bring them into your home

Inspection is key. Whether you’re bringing them indoors for winter or buying brand new houseplants, you must inspect the stem, leaves, and soil carefully. If there’s any dead foliage or flowers that have dropped remove them so you can clearly see the whole plant and base. 

You could wash your houseplants. An article on Better Homes & Gardens recommends using warm water to rid plants of insects. Set larger plants in the tub or shower and let the water wash them. Smaller plants can be washed the same and also by being held upside down and swished around. Either way, you should allow plants to air dry out of direct sunlight. For best results and to keep your green thumb intact, consult your favorite gardening book or website for detailed instructions specific to your plants. 

On your firewood

Whether your wood-burning fireplace is used to supplement your main heat supply or to create a cozy warmth for enjoyment, you will need wood. Carpenter ants, spiders, wood-boring beetles, and other pests have a tendency to lurk in woodpiles. If you bring wood that is infested with bugs into your home, you will have a pest problem on your hands. 

Where to look for pests on firewood

Insects that are often found in and around firewood are those that feed on the wood and those that use it for shelter.  Pests may be found crawling under the bark or even infesting the wood. Others are likely to be found hiding out in the gaps that the stacked logs create. 

How to prevent or get rid of pests on your firewood

Termites, carpenter ants, and other wood-destroying pests will not appreciate any efforts you make to keep your firewood dry. Stacking logs on a platform above the ground is a great way to prevent bugs from infesting. We also recommend covering your pile with a tarp to keep rain and other precipitation away from the firewood. 

We’ve all done it, loaded up on firewood in anticipation of a big storm to save us from having to endure the harsh elements. While you might spare yourself exposure a night or two, it’s likely that you’ll make it that much easier for bugs to infest.  Never store your firewood in the garage, on the porch, or anywhere inside or in close proximity of your house. The farther away your stockpile, the harder it will be for pests to come inside. You can create your own storage method (we’ve seen many created from cinder blocks) or there are several options you can choose from on Amazon and other retail websites. 

On or in your holiday decorations

Have you already been toying with the idea of decorating your home and hearth a bit earlier than previous years? If so, you’re in good company but we do want to issue a word of warning. Holiday decorations stored in the attic, out in the garage or shed, or ones that you buy or forage for this year could be waiting to give you the gift of an unwanted surprise - namely insects and rodents.

Where to look for pests in your holiday decorations

It’s very common to store old decorations in areas where pests frequent. Closets, attics, and other storage areas that aren’t often disturbed make excellent hiding places for pests trying to live their best lives inside your space and without regard to the quality of yours.  They may also enter your home on boughs of holly, leaves of mistletoe, the tree, and other “living” decorations. 

How to prevent or get rid of pests on your holiday decorations

Inspecting holiday decorations is your best tool for keeping pests out. Before you unpack items you’ve been storing, take them. You do not want to open a cardboard box only to find a family of mice nesting or jumping out to infest other corners of your home. Inspection is also necessary for anything you bring inside from the out of doors. It’s also a good idea to give your tree a gentle but firm shake to dislodge anything living amongst the branches. 

On the other side of the holiday, skip the cardboard boxes and stock up on storage containers that are made from durable materials and that have tight fitting or locking lids. Do not store ornaments or decorations that are made from food from year to year. We know, the sentimental value is great but the cost of damage caused by insect and rodent infestation can be steep. 

Don’t let pests dampen your holiday spirit this year!

If you’ve already discovered pests into your home, there’s no need to go into Grinch-mode. Simply give us a call and we’d be happy to stop by to evaluate your pest problem and offer a solution. Better yet, give yourself the gift of a pest-free home all year-round by signing up for one of Arrow’s Home Protection Plans.

HOME PROTECTION
Starting at
$37/mo
 
What's included:
  • Year-Round Pest Protection
  • 3 Seasonal Services
  • Covers 30+ Pests
  • The Arrow Promise
  • Carpenter Ant Control
    (Includes Carpenter Ants, Pharaoh Ants & Acrobat Ants)
  • Carpenter Bee Coverage
  • Termite Monitoring Advantage
  • Termite Control
  • Stink Bugs
  • Ticks & Mosquitoes
  • White Glove Service
Home Protection Plus
Starting at
$52/mo
 
What's included:
  • Year-Round Pest Protection
  • 3 Seasonal Services
  • Covers 30+ Pests
  • The Arrow Promise
  • Carpenter Ant Control
    (Includes Carpenter Ants, Pharaoh Ants & Acrobat Ants)
  • Carpenter Bee Coverage
  • Termite Monitoring Advantage
  • Termite Control
  • Stink Bugs
  • Ticks & Mosquitoes
  • White Glove Service
ARROW PREMIER
Starting at
$67/mo
 
What's included:
  • Year-Round Pest Protection
  • 4 Seasonal Services
  • Covers 30+ Pests
  • The Arrow Promise
  • Carpenter Ant Control
    (Includes Carpenter Ants, Pharaoh Ants & Acrobat Ants)
  • Carpenter Bee Coverage
  • Annual Wood Destroying Organism Report
  • Termite Control
  • Stink Bugs
  • Ticks & Mosquitoes
  • White Glove Service
ARROW ONE
Starting at
$99/mo
 
What's included:
  • Year-Round Pest Protection
  • 8 Seasonal Services
  • Covers 30+ Pests
  • The Arrow Promise
  • Carpenter Ant Control
    (Includes Carpenter Ants, Pharaoh Ants & Acrobat Ants)
  • Carpenter Bee Coverage
  • Annual Wood Destroying Organism Report
  • Termite Control
  • Stink Bugs
  • Ticks & Mosquitoes
  • White Glove Service
**An initial set up fee will apply

Serving Short Hills, South Plainfield, and Manalapan Township as well as communities throughout our multi-county service area, you can trust our locally owned and operated New Jersey pest control company to take care of pests. Whether it’s watching Elf and eating popcorn, decorating gingerbread houses (that you will throw away) while singing favorite holiday songs at the top of your lungs, or counting down to Christmas with the Hallmark Channel, you focus on ways to make this year with your loved ones special and not bugs while we’re on the job!

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‟We have a quarterly service plan with Arrow. They are not only focused on addressing issues they put preventative measures in place to prevent issues from happening, like looking for and sealing the places where bugs can get into the home. The team are professional, friendly, thorough and provide details about every step of their process. We have had several different technicians over the last 2 years and each follows the same process and guidelines. Definitely recommend for treatment and prevention.”

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Bloomfield, NJ
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‟I used Arrow Pest Control for the first time today and I was totally satisfied, I reached out to them on Sunday and spoke to Beatrice and she set me up an appointment for Monday morn for an estimate and Monday afternoon the technician came and serviced my house.....I wish I could have gave them 10 stars, very helpful, right to the point, very professional, on time and no games.....I highly recommend arrow pest control in Morganville.......thank you J.F.”

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‟We’ve been using Arrow for the last 4 years. We have a monthly plan, so they come and service the interior and exterior regularly. We can also call them anytime for anything we see...wasp, wasp nests, rodents, ants, whatever...our coverage literally includes the mailbox at the curb all the way to the furthest point of our backyard fence and everything in between. All the technicians we’ve had, including Jason, were friendly and knowledgeable. But, Jason, goes above and beyond with his service and willingness to do more for his customers. Highly recommend Arrow Pest Control!”

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Short Hills, NJ
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‟Today was my first appointment with Arrow and Jason made everything seamless and efficient. Not only was he knowledgeable, he took his time explaining everything to me which proved he cared. I’m happy to have found Arrow and will continue to request Jason for my services! Thank you!”

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Manalapan, NJ
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‟All the professional qualities a business such as Arrow Pest Control would expect a service technician to exhibit, Brian, effortlessly presented. From my standpoint, he offered GOLD STAR ”

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Jackson, NJ
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‟Recommended to us by neighbors, Arrow arrived promptly to treat our new to us home. The house is built on a slab which small ants love to nest in.

Their program is such that they return til the problem is solved. Today was their third visit. Steve was very thorough, professional and had a great sense of humor. I am hoping not to see him again this season! I would recommend based on our current relationship.
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Lakewood, NJ
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‟I’m so happy we went with Arrow! We had been using another pest control company and still had a lot of spiders and crickets!! We switched to Arrow and after the first use with them, all the bugs were gone. They do a great job, very thorough, professional, friendly and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend using their services if you have any bug issues!”

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Toms River, NJ
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‟We were very pleased with how easy it was to schedule a first appointment with Rob and how reassuring and thorough his inspection was. A few hours later Josh arrived for the first treatment and was professional and took the time to answer all our questions. We didn’t hesitate to sign-up for Home Protection Program after seeing the quality and level of service we will receive.”

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Monroe, NJ
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‟Arrow and Brian with Arrow were amazing! He came same day when we heard scary noises in our attic. He found mice and a loose wire and even took a photo so we could see. He worked hard to crawl into a tiny space and we are so appreciate!! We can sleep tonight thanks to him.”

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East Brunswick, NJ
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‟Extremely professional and always on time. I was having an issue with mice and decided to call Arrow. They were able to get here next day and have an inspection. I set up with one of their monthly contracts and they were out to my home once a week continuously monitoring the situation until it was fully taken care of. I truly couldn’t recommend them more.”

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Monroe, NJ
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