Halloween is supposed to be about fake spider webs, creepy decorations, pumpkins and maybe a little friendly fright.
But what happens when your Halloween decorations start attracting the real kind of creepy-crawly?
Here in Central Florida, pests don’t need an invitation to stop by. And while your decorations may look great for trick-or-treaters, some of the things you put outside can also create the perfect environment for insects, rodents and other unwanted guests. Before you turn your front yard into the best haunted house on the block, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Fake Spider Webs Can Become Real Spider Webs
Nothing says Halloween quite like stretching fake spider webbing across your porch, bushes and front door.
The problem? Real spiders don’t care that the web is fake. Outdoor decorations can create additional places for spiders and other pests to hide. If you already have insects around your home, those insects can attract spiders looking for their next meal. If you notice real webs appearing around your porch, garage, eaves or other areas of your home, don’t assume they’re part of the Halloween decorations.
It might be time to take a closer look.
Pumpkins Can Attract More Than Trick-or-Treaters
Carved pumpkins are a Halloween tradition, but once you put food outside, you can potentially attract pests.
As pumpkins begin to break down, they can attract flies, ants and other insects. If you leave them outside after Halloween, they can become an easy food source for unwanted visitors. Our Florida weather doesn’t exactly help, either. Warm temperatures can speed up decomposition, so keep an eye on your pumpkins and throw them away once they start becoming soft, moldy or overly damaged.
Your jack-o'-lantern has had a good run. Let it go.
Candy Is for Kids—Not Cockroaches
This one seems obvious, but Halloween means more candy, snacks and food around the house.
And pests are opportunists. A dropped piece of candy, an open bowl of treats or food left sitting outside can provide an easy meal for ants, cockroaches and other pests. Make sure candy is stored in sealed containers, especially if you're buying Halloween treats in bulk.
And if the neighborhood kids happen to leave a few pieces of candy on your porch while they're running from house to house, clean it up when the night is over.
Your home doesn't need to become the neighborhood pest buffet.
Outdoor Decorations Can Create Hiding Places
Halloween decorations can turn your yard into a fun, spooky scene—but they can also create extra hiding places for pests. Boxes, fabric decorations, artificial leaves, wood, hay bales and other items sitting around your property can provide shelter for insects and rodents.
Before putting decorations away after Halloween, inspect them for signs of pests.
Look for:
- Spider webs
- Droppings
- Chewed areas
- Insects
- Egg sacs
- Nesting materials
You don't want to bring an unwanted Halloween souvenir into your garage or attic.
Don't Forget About Standing Water
This is especially important here in Central Florida.
Mosquitoes need very little water to reproduce, and Halloween decorations can sometimes create unexpected places for water to collect. Check around your decorations after rain. Look at buckets, containers, plastic decorations, wheelbarrows, plant saucers and anything else that can hold water.
If you find standing water, dump it out.
It only takes a small amount of stagnant water to create a mosquito problem.
Keep Decorations Away From Your House
It may look great to have Halloween decorations right up against your front door or around the exterior walls of your home, but leaving too much clutter directly against the house can make it easier for pests to find their way inside.
When possible, keep decorations, firewood, piles of leaves and other items away from your home's exterior. It's also a good time to check for cracks or gaps around doors, windows, utility lines and other areas where pests could potentially get inside.
A little prevention can go a long way.
Don't Let Halloween Turn Into a Pest Problem
Halloween decorations aren't automatically going to cause a pest infestation. The goal isn't to scare you away from decorating your home.
We love a good Halloween display just as much as anyone else. The key is simply being aware of the things around your home that can provide pests with food, water or shelter. Once Halloween is over, take a few minutes to clean up food, remove pumpkins that are past their prime, empty standing water and inspect your decorations before storing them.
And if you start seeing more pests than usual—or you're finding signs that something has already moved in—don't ignore it.
A few ants or a spider here and there may not seem like a big deal. But repeated activity, droppings, nests or damage could indicate a larger problem.
Enjoy Halloween Without the Unwanted Guests
Halloween should be about costumes, candy, decorations and making memories—not wondering what is crawling around your porch.
If you live in Winter Haven, Auburndale, Lake Wales, Haines City, Lakeland or another Central Florida community and you're dealing with unwanted pests, Country Boy Pest Control is here to help. We've been helping local homeowners protect their homes from pests for decades, and we know the pests that call Central Florida home.So go ahead and put up the fake spider webs. Carve the pumpkins. Decorate the porch.
Just make sure the only creepy visitors you invite this Halloween are the ones carrying candy buckets.
If real pests are showing up at your house, give Country Boy Pest Control a call and let us help you get the problem under control.