Pests Most Likely to Go After Your Halloween Candy

Halloween is almost here, and a good scare is customary (encouraged, even) this time of year. Many who celebrate enjoy getting spooked by scary movies and haunted houses. However, having your home “haunted” by unwanted guests—not ghosts, but rather, vermin or other pests—is not so fun, especially when they raid your stash of trick-or-treating candy!

That’s right; many creepy-crawling pests are drawn to your home by the sweet aroma and flavor of sugary treats. And you probably have more than usual around your house in October. Read on to learn which types of pests have a sweet tooth and get expert advice on protecting your home and your precious trick-or-treat candy stockpile.

Stop Candy-Bag Bugs

Before we discuss the three pests most likely to come after your kids’ Halloween candy, know that the surest, yet easiest, step to preventing it is to check your kids’ trick-or-treating bags. Pests that love sugar have a great sense of smell that draws them straight to it, sometimes even if they’re outside. 

Move all candy out of the bags to sort; remove and dispose of empty wrappers, unwrapped candy, and wrapped candy that has holes or has been left partially open. Then, move the candy to a clean container with a removable lid that seals. Not only will the smell be greatly subdued, but it will be harder for pests to access.

Now, onto three pests who go crazy for sugary candy and sweets. 

Three, Sweet-Toothed Pests

Roaches

Though they’re usually too afraid to get near humans and aren’t inherently toxic or poisonous, cockroaches are many people’s biggest fear. They rarely carry disease. but roaches purposefully seek out dark, dirty, moist spaces. There’s no telling what contaminants they’ve skittered through! 

Roaches have a fantastic sense of smell, love sweets, and seek warm shelter when it’s cool outside. Plus, they can squeeze through wildly small spaces, like cracks so much smaller than their bodies, that it’s almost scary. When you see a roach scurry away, watch where it goes. Fill the space with caulk or expanding wall sealant if it jumps through a crack or hole in the wall or behind baseboards.

Ants

As we explained in our last post, you only have to leave out a little bit of sugar to attract an army of ants. It doesn’t even take a whole piece of candy. Just a drop of soda can attract one ant that will emit hormones that tell their fellow foragers about their discovery. Wipe down countertops and tabletops regularly, especially when you’ve had candy or sweets on them. 

Rodents

Much like roaches, rodents forage for food at night, have excellent senses of smell, and can flatten themself to slip through surprisingly small spaces. Unlike any pests mentioned above, however, rodents are dexterously talented food thieves with sharp claws and teeth that can tear containers and packages apart and are sometimes harder to keep out and kill.

When to Call Pest Control Professionals

If you see signs of an infestation in your home or a pest is affecting your property, health, or safety, it’s time to call a pest control professional. We can investigate the situation thoroughly, eradicate pests on your property, and implement long-lasting prevention. 

Our team at Vulcan Termite & Pest Control has fulfilled that role for families in Alabama since 1965, and we would love to help you, too! Call us at 205-663-4200 or contact us online today to learn more about our affordable, highly effective pest control solutions. 

Thanks for reading today’s blog; have a Happy Halloween!