PUMPKIN PANIC: WHY YOUR HALLOWEEN DECOR COULD TURN INTO A PEST PARTY

While you’re admiring your carving skills, the local vermin might be admiring your menu

It’s all fun and games until your spooky doorstep display turns into a rodent rave. Turns out, those grinning jack-o’-lanterns might be more “come hither” than “go away”, at least if you’re a rat.

Josh Clarke, from London rubbish removal experts Clear It Waste, warns: “Like any food source, pumpkins can attract pests if left out in or around the home.

"This risk is increased during the cooler autumn months, when rodents seek indoor spaces for shelter and warmth.

"As pumpkins begin to decay, they become an appealing food source to various pests.”

.

Who’s crashing the Halloween bash?

Rats and mice are first in line for the buffet. As the temperature drops, so does their resistance to free food. The scent of a rotting pumpkin is basically eau de fine dining for rodents.

Once they’ve found it, they’ll happily check out the rest of your house, if you’ve been generous enough to leave a gap or two in the skirting boards.

Then there are the insects. Fruit flies and squash bugs think of pumpkins as the perfect Airbnb: food, shelter, and endless opportunity to breed.

And once they move in, you’ll find it’s harder to evict them than your last dodgy flatmate.

Even slugs and snails join the festivities, slinking in for a sugar hit from the pumpkin’s sticky residue.

Their flexible bodies mean no crack or crevice is too small — especially in older homes or in damp areas.

How to keep Halloween cute, not creepy

If you’re already itching, here’s how to stop your pumpkin display from turning into a wildlife sanctuary:

• Keep pumpkins off the ground. Elevate them on a table or ledge to avoid pooling moisture and unwanted guests.

  
  

• Clean them properly. Scoop out every bit of pulp and seed to slow down deca, and don’t leave stray lollies lying around either.

  
  

• Try fake pumpkins. They’re pest-proof, reusable, and won’t collapse into sludge by the weekend.

  
  

• Bring them inside. You’ll still get the Halloween vibe without becoming a neighbourhood wildlife hub.

  
  

  Use natural repellents. Cayenne pepper, cinnamon, peppermint oil or tea tree oil works a treat; even diluted vinegar on the carved edges can help fend off mould and bugs.

  
  

• Know when to let go. Searches for “how long do pumpkins last after carving” have spiked more than 5,000% this week — the answer? Only three to five days before it’s time to bin them. Any longer and you’re running a gourd-based Airbnb for pests.