seasonal tips to Keeping Pests away

Pests can be a real nuisance. Just when you think you’ve got them under control, a new season brings a new wave ready to invade your home. Staying on top of pest prevention and management is key to maintaining a pest-free environment all year long. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore some of the most common pests in each season and proven methods to banish them for good.

Keeping Pests away in Springtime

Spring is the time when many pests come out of hibernation or dormancy and start looking to feed and reproduce. Here are some of the biggest offenders and how to fend them off:

Ants

Ants start foraging for food in spring and may find their way into your home through the tiniest cracks and crevices. To deter ants:

– Seal any entry points with caulk or weatherstripping. This removes access to food sources inside.

– Eliminate moisture buildup by fixing leaky pipes and cleaning gutters. Ants need water.

– Use borax-based baits or sprays around potential entry points. This poisons them before they can enter.

– Draw a chalk line around your home’s perimeter. Ants avoid chalk.

Termites

Warm weather draws termites out to swarm and search for places to nest. Stop them before they start by:

– Removing dead trees, tree stumps, and excess mulch that attracts them.

– Treating soils around foundation walls with termite-specific insecticides. This creates a chemical barrier.

– Installing termite bait stations around the home’s exterior. These contain pesticides that termites unknowingly spread throughout the colony.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes breed rapidly in standing water. Reduce their numbers by:

– Draining or changing bird baths, pet dishes, and other sources of standing water weekly.

– Removing leaves and debris from gutters and draining areas. This eliminates breeding spots.

– Using BTI pellets in standing water. This biological pesticide kills mosquito larvae.

– Installing or repairing screens on windows and doors. This keeps mosquitoes out of your home.

Ticks

Ticks thrive in overgrown brush and woods. When working or playing outside:

– Wear EPA-registered repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin and treat clothes with permethrin.

– Check your body for ticks and shower immediately after coming inside.

– Clean up brush and leaf litter in your yard’s common areas. This removes ticks’ habitat.

– Ask your vet about medications to repel and kill ticks on your pets.

Summertime Siege

The hot and humid days of summer create ideal conditions for indoor and outdoor pests. Arm yourself against summer’s swarm with these tactics:

Cockroaches

Roaches contaminate food and spread bacteria. Stop an infestation through:

– Sealing cracks and entry points. Caulk and weatherstrip are roaches’ worst enemies.

– Setting out sticky traps to catch roaches. Check often and replace when full.

– Using boric acid powder under and behind appliances and in wall voids. Roaches walk through it and die.

– Keeping kitchens clean and dry. Don’t leave crumbs or water sources.

Spiders

While most household spiders are harmless, some like black widows can bite. Reduce webs with:

– Vacuuming floors, furniture, and corners regularly. This also removes eggs.

– Sealing cracks around windows, doors, and siding. This blocks access points.

– Removing debris piles and overgrown vegetation in your yard. These provide habitat and insect food sources.

– Using essential oils like peppermint, tea tree, and citrus as organic repellents.

Wasps, Hornets, & Bees

Don’t disturb hives yourself! Call a professional to:

– Identify the species and create a pest-specific removal plan.

– Suit up with protective apparel to avoid stings during removal.

– Use specialized tools like vacuums and dusts to safely eliminate them.

– Seal up access holes after removal so new colonies can’t enter.

 Flies

Flies breed rapidly in trash, manure, and rotting organic material:

– Remove food sources by cleaning trash cans and picking up pet waste.

– Make DIY fly paper from syrup or molasses to trap flies on sticky paper.

– Install screens on windows and repair torn screens. This keeps flies out.

– Use fans near doors to blow flies back outside when entering or exiting.

Pest Prevention in the Fall

Fall is the time when pests seek out winter shelter in homes. Stop them at the door with these tips:

Mice

Mice enter through cracks as small as a dime and chew everything in sight. Stop them through:

– Sealing all entry points inside and out with weatherstripping, steel wool, copper mesh, and caulk.

– Setting humane traps baited with peanut butter near suspected entry sites.

– Removing exterior debris piles and pruning back vegetation touching your home’s exterior. This takes away shelter.

– Sprinkling peppermint oil in problem areas. Mice hate the smell.

Raccoons

Raccoons go where the food is. Deter their presence by:

– Securing trash can and compost bin lids. Use bungee cords if needed.

– Feeding pets indoors. Don’t leave food outside.

– Installing motion sensor lights and sprinklers on your deck or patio. This scares off nighttime prowlers.

– Using ammonia-soaked rags around potential entry points. Raccoons detest the odor.

Squirrels

Squirrels chew through attics and walls. Block access by:

– Covering attic vents and chimneys with heavy-duty screening and hardware cloth.

– Sealing fascia boards with flashing and silicon caulk.

– Installing a chimney cap and sealing openings with copper mesh or steel wool.

– Sprinkling flakes of crushed red pepper around entry points. Squirrels avoid the spicy scent.

Battling Winter Pests

While some pests die off or hibernate in winter, those that stick around can be a true nuisance. Stop them from ruining your winter with these techniques:

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs live 4-6 months between feedings. Stop their bites by:

– Covering mattresses and box springs with bed bug proof encasements. This traps them inside.

– Washing and drying bedding on the hottest settings items will allow. Heat kills bed bugs.

– Using climb-up bed bug interceptors on furniture legs. These trap bed bugs trying to climb on beds.

– Hiring a pest control professional for chemical fumigation and steam treatments.

Silverfish

Silverfish destroy books, photos, and fabrics. Control them by:

– Fixing leaky pipes and using a dehumidifier. Silverfish thrive in humidity.

– Sealing cracks and crevices where silverfish hide. Caulk and paint will do the trick.

– Setting out sticky traps near common silverfish hiding spots like bookcases.

– Dusting entry points with diatomaceous earth. The sharp particles shred silverfish’s exoskeletons.

Pantry Pests

Moths, weevils, and beetles consume stored food. Stop an infestation through:

– Discarding infested items and cleaning pantries thoroughly. Remove their food source.

– Storing food like flour, grains, and cereals in airtight containers. This contains pests.

– Using pheromone traps and sticky traps in pantries to catch adult moths.

– Freezing small flours and grains for 72 hours before using to kill eggs.

Maintaining Pest-Free Grounds

With vigilance and the right precautionary measures, you can stay one step ahead of seasonal pests. Follow these tips and you’ll be able to keep your home pest-free all year long. Always contact a professional if you have a major pest problem get out of hand. What are your best defense strategies against seasonal pests? Let us know in the comments below!

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