5 Pests Who Want to Spend the Winter in Your House

Cold weather is here and, with it, an influx of pests who are hoping to spend the winter months in your cozy house.

One of the things I love about Autumn is that the more annoying outdoor insects start dying off or going into hibernation. I love being able to take a walk in the woods, without being inundated with mosquitoes and black flies. But the downside to that same colder weather is that there are plenty of pests who are trying to find shelter. Like snowbirds heading to Florida, they're hoping to move into your house for the winter months, where they can be cozy and warm.

Spiders are probably the biggest offender. We find them everywhere in our house. Whenever we can, however, we leave them alone because they kill the other unwanted visitors. Of course, when a wolf spider popped out of my couch the other day and sat on the arm next to me, he wasn't welcomed with open arms. Sorry, if they scare the crap out of me, they get no free pass.

I consulted the state of Maine's website for some of the unwanted house guests you can expect to see over the next month or so, and which ones you really want to treat with caution when trying to serve them their eviction notice. If ever there was a good reason to keep a bagged vacuum in your house, these five bugs are it.