Protecting your home from pests during a hurricane

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Storms like Hurricane Matthew draw bugs and rodents out of their hiding places and into your houses. So what can you do to prepare?

Small rodents, mosquitoes, roaches and snakes are all things you’ll want to keep an eye out for during and after the storm.

Kevin Snyder with Bugs etc… said clear out as much debris as you can now to help prevent build up. He said keep your doors and garages closed unless absolutely necessary and seal your windows.

“A lot of times people want to spray ahead of the storm, I don’t think that’s the answer. Anything to do as far as exclusionary, pest control, to keep things from being able to enter the house could be effective,” Snyder said.

Snyder said afterwards make sure to try and get rid of as much standing water as possible to help with mosquitoes. But he said the biting insects will likely be a problem regardless after a storm of this size.

Also, watch out for snakes when you’re cleaning up after Matthew. Snyder said they like to hide in storm debris.