It’s that time of year again. Spring is almost upon us (did you remember to push your clocks forward?!) and people are opening their windows and tending their gardens. Bugs love this time of year, too, and the most common household pests are just itching to find a place in your home to nest, feed, and generally become a nuisance.
Here’s a short list of some of the things I’ve noticed bugs just can’t get enough of in and around homes. If you get a chance, take care of some of these home issues before the weather warms up and an infestation sets in.
Open Windows:
Speaking of open windows…flying insects can’t wait to enter your home through doors and windows without screens. The smells and relative mild climate of your home is incredibly attractive to horse flies, bees, and particularly to ladybugs. Invest in some bug screens for your open spaces and save yourself some hassle.
Porch Corners:
Overhangs, gutters, and the underside of porch roofs make ideal nesting spots for dirt dobbers and wasps. If you notice flying pests are starting to set up shop in the dark, protected area of your home go ahead and knock their nests off, unless of course they’ve already moved in. If the problem persists you’ll want to go ahead and call a pest professional.
Bird Baths:
Why do people have bird baths? Birds don’t really seem to love them, but mosquitoes do. Any standing water near your home is going to attract all kinds of pests, and not just insects. Rodents and other creepy crawlies flock to water sources when the weather heats up so do yourself a favor and get rid of puddles, full gutters, and dripping hoses.
Cracked Seals:
For some people, the worst part of spring has got to be the spiders. They come out in force this time of year, particularly in the south, and they love nothing more than to find a vulnerability in your home’s seals. Check around doors and windows that your weather stripping’s tight – not only will you keep spiders out, you’ll probably save some money on air conditioning costs.
A quick home check now can save you hundreds in the long run. Once bugs get in they’re much harder to get out – avoid having to call a pest control company by doing the legwork yourself, at least initially. Some bugs are relatively easy to kill but you don’t want to have to play a guessing game with home pesticides to figure out which ones…
