Summer Pests to Look Out For

Pests love the sun too!

Summer is almost here, and along with all of the great things that come with summer come those dreaded summer tagalongs- summer pests. As temperatures rise, pests come out of hiding, reproduce, eat everything, and just generally make a nuisance of themselves. They can range from annoying and embarrassing to significantly destructive. That is why you want to engage in good prevention practices, as well as know which pests to watch for this summer.

Where does prevention begin?

The first thing you want to do is inspect your premises. You are not only looking for the first signs of summer pests but also keeping an eye on places that might be inviting for those pests. Like all animals, pests need water, so you want to look for dripping water or other damp spots that could be inviting. Many pests hide in dark places, so you want to look at nooks, crannies, and crevices. Your kitchen, laundry room, bathroom and backyard are all potential water sources, plus they have dark cabinets that pests find inviting. Check them for any leaks and to make sure you do not already have pests lurking, waiting to emerge as the weather gets warmer.

Many people do not think about it, but the beloved Christmas tree is another potential source of pets. If you are using a live Christmas tree as part of your holiday decorations, you want to give it a good shake before bringing it inside, to make sure that there are no rodents or other small mammals hiding inside of it. You will also want to inspect it for insects because they love to hitchhike on Christmas trees to get into houses.

Outside, you want to check spots in your backyard including things like woodpiles, storage sheds, and your garage. In the garden, look at what you have planted. Some ornamentals are attractive to pests and rodents love a vegetable garden. You can secure gardens with fine-gauge wire to prevent them from attracting rodents and use pesticides to take care of insects in your yard.

Pests you may encounter

The pests you are most likely to encounter in the summertime include fleas, ticks, cockroaches, mosquitoes, flies, ants, rodents, and possums. You will notice that many of these pests, notably fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, actually feed on animals. This means that they are attracted to places with people and pets. It also provides you with an additional way to control pests; by practising good pest control with your pets, you can help reduce the likelihood of a home or yard pest infestation.

In fact, prevention is the best way to keep pests from ruining your summer. Flick Pest Control can help you make summer pests a thing of the past.