SECOND HOMEOWNERS MAY FIND UNINVITED PEST GUESTS

What is lurking in your home away from home?

Second homeowners may find their vacation properties have become home to such crib crashing critters as raccoons, squirrels, mice, birds, termites, spiders, ants and even bears in their several season hiatus. With the purchase of vacation homes on the rise, more and more second homeowners are starting their vacations with a common creepy crawly problem— ridding their getaway of unwanted pest guests.

As more people purchase vacation homes in natural settings and leave them vacant during the colder months, it is only natural to discover that Mother Nature has moved in while they were out. “People are upset when they open up their cabin or beach house for the season to find ants in the kitchen, spiders in the bathroom, and small wildlife in the chimney or crawlspace,” said Missy Henriksen, Vice President of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). “If you don’t properly pest-proof your home, nature will find its way in through cracks, crevices, holes, vents and chimneys and can create a really dangerous situation.”

Insects can sting and bite, cause minor skin irritations and extreme allergic reactions in some cases, while termites can cause thousands of dollars in property damage. Animals that seem cute and harmless in their natural environment can attack and become defensive if they are trapped or have set up camp indoors.


“Pest management is important for all homes especially second homes, since they are left vacant for long periods of time,” said, Sarah Thomas, Marketing Specialist at Craig Thomas Pest Control, Inc. "As a homeowner the last thing you want to be doing is dealing with insects or rodents. Instead you should be enjoying your property," said Thomas.  “If possible, second homeowners should try to open their home for the season prior to the whole family coming for vacation, but either way, they should at least go prepared with the phone number of a local pest professional to safely remove their pest and wildlife problem.”

We are licensed and trained in insect and rodent control and would like the opportunity to protect your health, home and property in the near future. For questions, contact us by phone 800-255-6777, email, twitter or facebook. For more information on pest control, visit http://www.pestworld.org/ and http://www.callcraig.com/.

We at Craig Thomas Pest Control, Inc. are grateful to: the National Pest Management Association for the pest information and/or photo images incorporated into this work.