Bugs & Kisses: Tips To Keep Pests Out Of Your Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is a holiday that’s all about spreading love and kindness. Unfortunately, the sweetness of this tradition also makes it an opportunity to attract and harbour pests, which can lead to serious pest infestations. If love is in the air at your property this year, it is important to take precautions against the various pests that intend to intrude on your plans.

Whether you’re celebrating love day with family, friends, or a significant other, the gathering and gift giving traditions that go hand-in-hand with Valentine’s Day (or for those celebrating, Galentine’s Day) increase the probability of pests reaching you or your home. To help you avoid insects spoiling your romance, we’ve provided you with some tips on how to have a pest-free Valentine’s Day (or for those celebrating, Galentine’s Day).

When Receiving Flowers

Putting Them in Water?

While buying someone roses is romantic, it can also attract, introduce, and breed pests into your environment. If you receive flowers from that special someone this Valentine’s Day, the best thing to do is inspect them carefully for hitchhikers and gently shake them in a sink or bathtub to dislodge any intruders. Once your bouquet is placed in a vase, change the water in the vase frequently after every 2 to 3 days, while removing flower petals and leaves that have dropped from the plant into the water.

Pests to Watch Out For:

• Fungus gnats
• Minute scavenger flies
• Fruit Flies

Inspect the Flowers and the Packaging

An additional way that pests can enter the household via flowers is through the packaging. It’s easy to get excited about romantic gestures and forget about the potential for insects to be present. When receiving flowers, the first thing many people will do is tear open the bouquet. It is crucial that before doing so, you check the paper or plastic for signs of insects.

Gently shaking your flowers against a clear background such as in a sink or a bathtub will dislodge any insects and make your flowers free from pests! For extra precaution, you can mist your flowers with water. This will force any hiding insects or spiders to dislodge. Doing this action with care is best to keep your delicate flowers intact.

The species of pests that can enter your home from the plant itself are typically horticulture infesting pests, which means that they will not cause any structural damage to your home or pose significant health risks to your family. These insects usually don’t reproduce indoors, so there’s no need to worry about an infestation occurring. Nonetheless, they’re still a visual nuisance that can ruin the moment when you’re in the mood for love. If you do spot these pests on the flowers, use a tissue to remove them and dispose of it or release the insect outdoors.

Pests to Watch Out For:

• Aphids
• Thrips
• Mites (Spider Mites)
• Psyllids and whiteflies
• Leafhoppers and some plant bugs
• Spiders

Chocolate and Sweet Treats

Pest infestations are like a box of chocolate, you never know just what you’re going to get. It’s no surprise that chocolate is a popular Valentine’s Day gift. While sweet treats are tasty, they are also an easy opportunity for pests to invade your space.

A quick tip to enjoy pest-free snacks is to inspect store bought products for pantry pest bugs such as Indianmeal moth, grain beetle, warehouse beetle, drugstore beetle, or cigarette beetle. Prior to eating chocolate or candy from a loved one, be sure to check the expiry date of the product.

Another aspect of Valentine’s Day treats that attract pests to your property is … leftovers and garbage! Chocolate crumbs and other sweet candies are a popular snack for small bugs, which is why ant infestations are common on this holiday. Chocolate also attracts rodents, so it’s a good idea to clean up any garbage left behind sooner rather than later.

Pests to Watch Out For:

• Rodents
• Ants

Staying the Night?

With Valentine’s Day comes company. It’s popular to celebrate love day by socializing closely with our loved ones. Whether you have a romantic date night planned, are attending a party, or hosting a gathering at your house with family or friends, travelling from one place to another allows for the potential of pest introduction.

Nobody likes a fly on the wall when you’re spending quality time with someone you care about. When providing courtesy bedding to guests or spending the night sharing the bed with someone special, it’s possible that an individual can be a carrier for bed bugs.

A case of bed bugs can come when you least expect it. These pests are good hitchhikers and can cling onto people, even in public places. A quick tip to prevent the possible introduction of pests following Valentine’s Day is to put any bed sheets, pillowcases, or blankets used by guests in the dryer for 20 minutes at its hottest setting. It is also recommended that you inspect all parts of the bed – mattress, pillow, box spring and headboard – for signs of bed bug activity; monitoring the area until you are sure that there has been no bed bug introduced.

Pests to Watch Out For:

• Bed bugs

Taking precautions when welcoming company and gifts into your home and being proactive when tidying up afterwards will make all the difference when it comes to keeping your space pest-free after a celebration. We hope that with these tips, you’ll be able to enjoy the festivities of Valentine’s Day without the fear of insects and rodents enjoying it too.

Pests make the heart beat faster. Remember, if your heart is racing at the sight or worry of pests in your home, your local Orkin Canada branch is just a call away.