Managing Summer Pests: A Guide for Floridians

The summer is often associated with people going out, tanning, tall glasses of frosty drinks, lots of swimming, beach-going, vacations and many other fun activities. It is also the most popular time of the year for insects and pests.

Florida’s warm, humid and sunny climate in particular attracts many bugs. There’s an estimated 12,000 insect species in Florida. While many of these aren’t considered pests, a considerable number of them like termites, ants, palmetto bugs, mosquitoes, bees, wasps, and cockroaches are.

As for those insects that aren’t pests, their flying, crawling and general invasion can be a bit of an issue too. So, you need to take every precaution or measure to protect your home and loved ones from them. The following tips should help you do that.

Keep the Home Clean and Clutter Free

Dirty and clutter filled homes provide the perfect hiding place for insects. Do all you can to clear all clutter, clean out the house, clean up all beverage and food spills instantly, and keep your pantry dry and moisture free.

Block All Possible Access Points

This includes caulking your windows, ensuring there are no leakages or spaces through which they can get in the home. You must also drain all stagnant water in your immediate vicinity.

If there are vacant properties in the neighborhood with stagnant pools, see if there’s a possible way to have those pools drained. This is important because stagnant water serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes which can carry the deadly Nile or Zika virus. If you can’t drain the pools on other properties, get mosquito nets and sleep under them at night.

Ensure Foods are Properly Stored

Pests are attracted to places with abundant food supply. If your foods aren’t properly preserved, stored, wrapped or covered, you will soon be host to a wide array of pests looking to establish their colonies.

Use Dehumidifier and keep the Home Aerated

Humidity can be a real issue during the summer. Unfortunately, the discomfort isn’t just limited to you. It can also attract pests which thrive and grow in moist environments. So, ensure that your home’s humidity is minimal and get rid of any possible sources of it.

Trim Surrounding Tree Branches, Bushes, and Hedges

Trees, branches, bushes, and hedges typically provide excellent hiding places for many insects because they provide shade and can be dark. So, if you have a lot of foliage surrounding your home, make sure you have them trimmed and cut.

Also, get rid of dead wood, debris or anything that can serve as a hiding place. Doing this will prevent the pests from finding a hiding place and lower their population around your home.

Frequently Clean Pet Beddings

Pets frequently carry fleas and ticks from outside the home. Leaving the pet’s beddings unattended can also be bad for your family’s health. So, check your pets for ticks and fleas as well as have their beddings frequently cleaned. Also, make sure their litter is properly emptied in order to not attract flies.

Have Your Apartment Fumigated

This is important even if you’re moving houses. In fact, we would recommend that you have your home fumigated twice a year. Most homeowners don’t do this and yet wonder why they have so many insects in their homes.

Over the counter insecticides, diatomaceous earth and insect zappers can only do so much. Not only can they be inconveniencing, they are also limited in their reach. Insect zappers can only kill insects that go close to it, insecticides can only reach insects that are not in hiding, and diatomaceous earth is just a huge inconvenience.

And even then, if these kill the adults and nymphs, they may not kill the eggs. This is why you need to fumigate as it kills all insects in ALL  forms –eggs, nymph, and adults. So, get in touch with Heron Lawn & Pest Control today to get rid of all your pest problems today.