The usual suspects include rodents, flies and even cockroaches, all eager to escape the cold or enjoy the present of surplus food.

• Rodents will be attracted by the light, warmth, and stockpiles of food.
• Cockroaches can be difficult to detect but do enjoy nesting in cardboard boxes in garages. They shed traces of saliva, faeces, and even tiny body parts which can cause blocked sinuses, ear and sinus infections, irritation around the nose and eyes, and even a persistent cough.
• Cluster flies normally hibernate at this time of year, but with the heating turned up they too can wake prematurely.

Our Top Tips to protect your home this holiday season

• Inspect your tree: Real trees, in particular, can be nesting grounds for pests. Shake your tree vigorously outdoors, even an artificial one, to dislodge any insects or their eggs. It’s also a good idea to inspect Wreaths before you hang them, to check for spiders, aphids or other insects.
• Clear all food debris and spills. When throwing away food, make sure your bin is stored well away from your home, and close the lid securely.
• Open boxes of decorations outside. Cardboard boxes are more likely to deteriorate, so this is one occasion when using a sealable plastic storage box is a good idea. Inspect your box inside and outside for signs of bugs or rodents.
• Check electric cables and Christmas lights. Rodents chew on these, and this can pose a risk of a fire hazard.
• Keep key areas sealed Make sure you repair any cracks in walls, around skirting boards, behind electrical sockets, or under kitchen sinks.
• Avoid food debris. Clean up crumbs quickly and remove kitchen waste frequently to eliminate smells that can appeal to insects or rodents.

We wish you all a Merry Pest Free Christmas. And a pest-free new year!