For most people throughout the country, there is no better time of year than that period in which they can finally put away their heavy coats and sweaters and bust out the lawn chairs and yard games. Yet, even spring and summer are marred by something unpleasant. To be specific-pests.
Spring Pest Prevention Tips
As cold weather gives way to warm summer days, nature begins to thaw, a process that inevitably leads to an invasion of pests. Don’t let termites, beetles, cockroaches, and other warm-weather vermin ruin your summer fun. While you cannot fully eradicate pests on your own, there are measures you can take to make your home and garden a less attractive dwelling for them before your first pest inspection.
1. Barricade Your Home from the Inside Out
Any small holes, cracks, or openings in your home or its foundation serve as welcome signs for small critters. You can help keep pests out by caulking around window frames, installing fine mesh screens over any exposed pipes, vents, or ducts, and sealing holes or cracks in the foundation with steel wool.
2. Get Rid of Standing Water
Mosquitoes love standing water and use any half-full buckets, ponds, puddles, and other containers of sitting water as their breeding grounds. You can help prevent a mosquito infestation by tipping any full containers, installing a pump in your pond, and filling any areas prone to flooding.
3. Trim Your Trees
Any trees or shrubbery that butt up against your home serve as bridges for pests from the outside to the inside. Though you may admire the thickness of your hydrangea bushes this summer, don’t let their beauty deter you from doing what is necessary to protect your home. If you don’t feel comfortable trimming your plants yourself, hire a tree trimming specialist.
4. Maintain Your Yard
Ticks, fleas, and ants love to hide in tall grass, weeds, and debris while piles of leaves and wood houses hundreds of insects. You can help reduce the number of pests on your property by keeping your grass short, pulling weeds, and tossing leaf piles in the trash. If you have stacks of wood, lift it off the ground.
5. Call a Professional
The most effective way to keep your home and yard pest-free this spring and summer is to work with a pest control company, such as a representative from Terminix. A specialist will conduct an initial inspection and come up with a treatment plan, which a service technician will follow through with as often as you need it. Make the most of the warm weather this season and look for pest control near me.
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