Things That Go Bump in the Night

​Halloween is almost here, and spooky decorations are popping up everywhere—from giant skeletons and Grim Reapers to witches and ghosts. Whether your home is decked out to the nines or simply adorned with pumpkins and mums, there’s one thing you probably don’t want sharing your space this season: real-life pests that go bump in the night.

Many pests are nocturnal, meaning they’re most active after dark. When they enter your home, you might not notice them until late at night or until they interrupt your sleep. Here’s a guide to the pests you should watch for this Halloween season (and year-round) and how to keep them from turning your home into a real-life nightmare.

​The Pests That Go Bump in the Night

Rodents

Rodents are classic nighttime pests, especially in the fall when they often move indoors. Mice and rats feed mainly at dusk and dawn and often nest in wall voids, attics, basements, and crawl spaces. In the quiet of the night, you may hear scurrying noises in the ceiling or spot them raiding your pantry.

Rodents aren’t just a nuisance; they’re dangerous. They chew wires, pipes, and insulation, leading to fires, water leaks, or gas hazards. Their droppings, urine, and saliva can spread illnesses like salmonellosis, leptospirosis, and rat-bite fever.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are frequent intruders in Hampton Roads homes and are true nighttime pests. American, Oriental, and German cockroaches are typically nocturnal, coming out under the cover of darkness to forage for food and water. You might not see them during the day because they hide in warm, moist areas like under sinks, drains, crawl spaces, and behind appliances.

Their nighttime activity isn’t just creepy, it’s a health risk. Cockroaches pick up bacteria, viruses, and parasites as they travel, spreading pathogens throughout your home while you sleep. Hundreds of bacteria, including 30 different pathogenic species, have been linked to cockroaches, making them a serious health concern.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are stealthy, nighttime pests that come out after dark to feed on human blood, usually while you’re asleep. They enter homes on clothing, luggage, or secondhand furniture. Once inside, they hide in mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and furniture cracks or crevices, among other places, emerging at night to feed without you noticing.

While bed bugs don’t spread diseases, their bites are itchy and uncomfortable, and scratching can lead to secondary infections. Because they are active at night and excellent at hiding, bed bugs are notoriously difficult to detect and eliminate without professional help. Early intervention is key to avoiding sleepless nights and a full-blown infestation.

Spiders

While spiders are active day and night, many hunt at night. Most spiders are harmless and even beneficial, eating other household pests. However, their presence can signal another pest problem since they follow their food.

The two venomous species in our region are black widows and brown recluse spiders. Both have venomous bites, but they’re shy and avoid humans. Still, accidental encounters can happen, so caution is essential.

How to Keep Nighttime Pests Out of Your Home

If you’d rather leave the nighttime scares to Halloween movies, here are proven pest prevention tips from Getem Services, with over 100 years of combined experience in keeping homes pest-free:

• Seal entry points: Close cracks, gaps, and holes around siding, foundations, windows, doors, and roofs to prevent rodents and other pests from sneaking in.
• Trim vegetation: Keep tree branches, shrubs, and bushes away from your home’s exterior to reduce hiding spots for pests.
• Remove outdoor food sources: Keep pet food indoors, maintain bird feeders carefully, use yellow bug-repelling porch lights, and schedule routine pest control.
• Reduce moisture: Fix leaks, eliminate standing water, and control indoor humidity to deter cockroaches and rodents.
• Store food properly: Use sealed, hard-sided containers to keep cockroaches and rodents away from accessible food.
• Declutter: Remove piles of clothing, boxes, or other clutter where pests, including bed bugs, can hide.
• Inspect items before bringing them inside: Check luggage, secondhand furniture, and clothing for bed bugs before introducing them to your home.
• Protect your bed: Use mattress and box spring encasements to keep bed bugs from infesting your sleeping areas.
• Perform regular inspections: Look for signs of bed bugs, rodents, cockroaches, or spiders to catch infestations early.

Call Getem Services at the First Sign of Pests

If you notice any signs of a pest infestation, don’t wait. DIY pest control often only addresses visible pests, leaving hidden infestations that continue to cause damage and other problems.

Getem Services provides comprehensive pest control in Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach, as well as throughout Hampton Roads and the Tidewater region. Our services include:

• Year-round home pest control services for roaches, spiders, and other house-infesting pests.
• Bed bug control
• Rodent control services

We fully eliminate infestations so you can enjoy a pest-free home. Skip the tricks this season and treat your home to professional pest control. Contact Getem Services today to get started.