No, I’m not referencing your nosey neighbor or your kiddos… I’m talking about protecting your home from unwanted pests such as ants, roaches, and rodents. Your home is your castle – so to speak and if you’re spending a lot of time, energy, and money, on making your home a sanctuary, there are a few things that you should be aware of to prevent potential pesky threats.
Pests can get into the most unlikely places and do some real damage to your home; this can potentially cost you money and take time to repair. I believe that it’s always a good idea to keep the number of a local pest control company at hand and to also know what to look for before it’s too late.
Here are a few tips, broken down by the season, which should help you when managing your home pest control schedule and determining which services are right for managing your home.
Spring is a beautiful time for flowering plants and new life, but it’s also a time to be extra vigilant. Many new house pests are emerging at this time including squirrels, cockroaches, ants, fleas, and rodents. Ants and termites are especially prevalent in the spring – around March. You might find foraging ants in your kitchen, pantry, or patio; there might also be new colonies in your yard. Contact a pest prevention agency to get the problem under control. In late spring wasps start to appear. The most common type are paper wasps who begin building nests in outbuildings or under the eaves. Stay on the lookout for these in your garden, as well as the appearance of more wasps than usual.
When the summer is in full swing you will be enjoying your backyard more frequently but you will also be contending with the expedient growth of pests that always seem to be thriving at this time of the year. You might have noticed increased fire ant mounds, mosquitos, and flys are likely to be problematic in your backyard this time of year. So if you’re having a BBQ keep everything wrapped up and consider taking your garbage to the dump. The hotter it gets, the more likely it is your garbage will attract unwanted guests. Later in the summer, you will have to contend more with crickets, spiders, and wasps.
In the fall, unfortunately, you can’t let your guard down. The reduction in temperature and scarcity of food is more likely to bring critters such as ants and rodents into your home. They will be looking for food sources and warm corners to settle in for the winter. You might start to see ants in your home, if you see this contact your local pest prevention agency.
During the colder month – January and February – there is a high chance of rodents in your home. This could mean field mice, rats, or anything in between. This partly because by this time of year the small populations of rodents have grown up. Signs that you have a rat infestation include galloping sounds across your ceiling, and perhaps the smell of urine in certain parts of the house. Rats can chew up wires, clothing, furniture – they can also be extremely unhygienic. Their population will only increase along with the symptoms, so don’t ignore the first signs of this hazard.
Hopefully, this breakdown of tips and suggestions on what to be on the lookout for this summer and into the cooler months will protect your home against unwanted pests. Sorry, I can’t help with your neighbors, but I can help you save a little time and money!
