Why are bugs attracted to the warm and how can I keep my home free from insects this winter?
WINTER is here, and so too are sheadloads of creepy crawlies looking to escape the cold.
As temperatures plummet, Britain's native insect population will start taking refuge indoors - which means your house could be on the verge of a major creepy crawly infestation.
What makes a home attractive to bugs?
Not all homes are equally attractive in the tiny mind of an insect, according to researchers from the California Academy of Sciences, North Carolina State University, and the Natural History Museum of Denmark.
Scientists in the team scoured 50 homes in Raleigh, North Carolina, to work out exactly what kind of house is most attractive to bugs, reports.
They found that creepy crawlies thrive in carpeted homes, while houses with hard floors are less likely to attract too many varieties of critter.
And airier rooms with more windows and doors were also found to attract more insects, as do homes with more humidity and moisture.
How can I keep my home free from insects this winter?
And they also reported that standing pools of water are also a big attraction for house-hunting insects.
This means leaky pipes can make your home a bug magnet, and so can leaving a sink-full of water for critters to drink and breed in.
But it's not just the inside which counts - the lights outside your home could also be signalling to little critters that your gaff is perfect for them.
Research shows that cool blue and white lights attract insects, while they're less likely to be drawn to warmer, yellow or orange LEDs.
Obviously, if you live in a house with a basement and loads of doors and windows, there's not much you can do about it.
But can you can bug-proof your home by tweaking the lighting outside, and it may be worth considering switching that carpet out for a hard floor, if you can.
Keeping on top of any leaks or standing water will also minimise the chances of a bug invasion this winter.
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
Does a messy house attract bugs?
Contrary to what you might think, how messy your house is doesn't actually affect how many insects will take up residence there.
Dr Michelle Trautwein, senior author of the study, told Mail Online: "It was surprising to me that we found that whether a house was clean or dirty, whether the residents used pesticides or not, didn't affect the diversity or the kinds of arthropods found in houses."
Instead, the characteristics of your house itself are more likely to have an effect, with many creepy crawlies preferring damp, dark habitats to live in.
Bigger rooms also attract a greater variety of bugs, and basements and cellars can be thriving hubs of insect activity.