Author: Kurt Treftz, Cascade Pest Control
While many pests are still active in the winter, there are some that you don’t have to worry about until the summer. The warm weather allows all pests to move around more easily and have access to more food sources to sustain their activities. It’s helpful to know which pests to look out for in the summer in order to take the proper preventative measures against them.
Washington Pest Control in the Summer
The greater Puget Sound area is home to numerous varieties of household pests. The milder climate and humidity, especially as it warms up, is unfortunately also the climate that pests enjoy and thrive in. Here are some to look out for and how best to avoid them bothering you as we move into summer:
Wasps
Whether they’re attracted to your picnic food or the flowers in your garden, bees, wasps (yellow jackets and Giant Asian Hornets), and other stinging pests are definitely something to look out for over the summer. This season is prime nesting time for bees and wasps, so they’ll be out more than they are in the winter or fall. Different varieties of these pests might burrow into the ground to nest, or build on debris piles, trash cans or structures stationary for long periods of time, and even in the structure of your home in order to create a nest.
In order to avoid bees and wasps having a place to nest near your space, be sure you’re regularly mowing your lawn and keeping any wood or debris close to your space to a minimum. If you have large trees or overhanging plants, keeping them well groomed will also go a long way towards preventing these insects from nesting out of sight and surprising you one day.
Ants
The classic summertime offender, many different types of ants are out and about in the warmer weather. While there’s not a whole lot you can do about ants crashing the party in a park or other public gathering space, you can work to prevent ants from infesting your home or business.
Common household ants are most attracted to food and water in your space. The best thing you can do to prevent these pests from targeting your home is to properly store pantry items, keep your counters clear, and ensure that door and window cracks are properly sealed up. If you have a pet, keeping their food or water inside & only out when it’s time for a meal will be helpful as well.
Carpenter ants can also wreak havoc on the structure of your home or business, so it’s best to stay in front of carpenter ant infestation with ongoing, regular ant control services.
Termites
Termites might seem like an uncommon summertime pest. Unfortunately, termites thrive in warm, humid conditions, so summertime around the Puget Sound is ideal for them. If your space isn’t properly sealed off and treated to prevent termites from finding a way in, they will become a larger problem for the structural integrity of your home or business.
Termites peak time is in the spring, but they continue seeking out wood to devour well after that. If you have a stock pile of firewood or live near a heavily wooded area, you might be at a higher risk of termites being in close proximity to your home. Again, properly sealing off subterranean areas and ensuring any wood debris or piles are stored further from your home will be key.
Ticks & Mosquitos
These are pests that don’t target your home, but target you during the summer. Both ticks and mosquitoes are highly active in warmer weather and you run a higher risk of coming into contact with them with the more outdoor activities available during this season. These pests are known disease carriers so you want to do your best to avoid attracting or coming into contact with them.
Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so if you live near a lake or have any water features in your yard, it could be worth investing in a property mosquito treatment to discourage mosquito egg laying. Most of us even have places where water pools which can be breeding grounds. Being aware of those spots and getting rid of the water when you can is also helpful. Wearing mosquito repellent when out in an area where you might be bitten and avoiding heavily scented perfumes will further minimize the chances of you being bitten.
If you live in a heavily wooded area or go hiking a lot, ticks will be something you need to look out for. Wearing long sleeves and pants, and even tucking your pants into your socks while out does a lot to minimize exposed areas for ticks to latch onto. They can also thrive in long grasses, so keeping your lawn properly trimmed will also be helpful in preventing ticks.
Navigating pest control can be challenging. We at Cascade are dedicated to working with you to create a customized, effective pest control plan that keeps your home or business safe year round.
Get started with Cascade Pest Control today–call 888-989-8979 for a quote!