Spring and summer usher in warm days that can be perfect for gardening or grilling in the back yard. However, the spike in temperatures can also result in an increased chance of outdoor insect infestations.
The following five backyard pest control tips may come in handy as you try to keep the bugs at bay this spring and summer:
- Remove areas of standing water
- Pick up clutter and debris
- Keep Lawns Tidy and Trimmed
- Store Firewood Properly
- Invest in a Professional Pest Control Service
Remove Areas of Standing Water
Standing water is literally a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Limit the space these biting insects have to use as reproduction grounds by filling in areas where water is prone to pooling and adding pumps to fish ponds or fountains. Additionally, make sure to empty out any flower pots, buckets or toys after it rains.
Pick up Clutter and Debris
Items like toys, tires and half-used bags of potting soil make perfect containers for rainwater. Additionally, piles of leaves, fallen branches and rotting fruit can attract insects to your yard, as they provide food and shelter for many insects. Your efforts can help in insect control, so keep your yard free of this clutter to make the area a little less attractive to bugs.
Keep Lawns Tidy and Trimmed
Tall grass and weeds can provide harborage for ticks, fleas and even ant hills. At the same time, overgrown shrubbery or tree branches that make contact with your home can act as entry points for cockroaches and other unwelcome houseguests. Mow your yard regularly during spring and summer months so that insects have less area in which to hide. Additionally, keep trees and shrubs trimmed, preferably by a professional, so there’s about a foot of distance between the walls of the house and any branches. If you like climbing plants, such as ivy or wisteria, it may be a good idea to set up a trellis, so that vines don’t act as gangplanks on which insects can march into your home.
Store Firewood Properly
Do you have firewood leftover from the winter? Well, if you’re not storing it properly you could find yourself the proprietor of an insect hotel. Firewood provides food and shelter for many insects, so you need to be certain that you’re doing everything you can to try to prevent an infestation. First, make sure wood is dry before storing it. Then, keep it stacked above the ground on a rack or platform so that pests which live in the soil — like ants and termites — can’t easily access the wood. Additionally, keep piles of firewood stored away from your home or other buildings. Ideally, there should be 3 feet between a stack of firewood and any structure. Lastly, firewood with a top cover or roof over it will remain drier and last longer. Do not fully wrap firewood piles with a tarp or plastic sheeting – this will trap moisture and make things worse.
Invest in a Professional Pest Control Service
Can you buy insect spray for lawns? Absolutely, you can. However, it likely won’t be as effective as the treatment a pest control specialist would use. In addition, a trained specialist may be better able to spot any potential pest problems before they get out of hand. The specialist can then make recommendations customized for your situation.
With a few preventative measures, you can attempt to curb the insect populations in your yard this spring and summer. Want some backup from trusted pest control specialists? Contact Terminix to schedule your initial inspection.
