April Showers bring May….Bugs

Well, March is over and it was pretty ho hum as far as the weather went.  We had our cold days and (record) warm days.  The bugs woke up from their winter slumber, especially the ants, and the April showers and (hopefully) a little warmer weather are sure to bring everything else out of hibernation.

Things to Look for

Make sure your gutters are clean, and your downspouts are flowing.  Elbows should be in place, as well as splash blocks, to direct the water away from your house.  Ants and termites are naturally attracted to areas of excessive moisture.

Take a look at your eave soffits.  Are there gaps where siding trim meets the eave?  Chances are nearly 100% that these gaps exist.  Yellow jackets take advantage of these naturally attractive spots to enter into wall and ceiling cavities to create their nests.  I have seen the first signs of this happening already.  Now is the time to get out your caulk guns and seal these areas up.  I did this at my own house a couple of weeks ago.  A trip to Home Depot, an afternoon of work in the pleasant (not too hot yet!) weather and I have decreased my chances of these guys and other bugs getting into my house.  I used a clear exterior product from DAP that goes on bright white.  But not to worry it turns clear in no time and becomes virtually invisible.  Next I sprayed around my perimeter and eaves to further secure my home against unwanted pest intrusion.

Check all of your window screens.  Are they in place?  Damaged?  When the weather gets warmer, you’ll be glad that these are in place, and in good condition, to keep the flying bugs and insects out as you enjoy the nice summer breeze.

Speaking of Flying Insects

Mosquitoes.  I’ve seen a new product on the market called Dyna Trap.  This is a piece of equipment that is reported to emit carbon dioxide which mimics our exhaled breath which attracts mosquitoes.  It also has a light to attract them.  I came across this a couple weeks ago and did a little research.  It sounds pretty good but comes at a little bit of a hefty price.  I think around $180.00 or so.  Then I saw them at Costco for about $70.00. I was going to pick one up, but when I looked at my cart and surmised my growing bill, I thought better to stick to my list.  This is one of those moments when you say…..“Darn it, why didn’t I pick that thing up when I was there and I knew they had them in stock?”  You know how it goes, you don’t have time to get back to Costco and when you do they’re out and probably wont be getting any more.  Needless to say the jury’s still out on this product.  If I get back to Costco and get lucky enough to get one, I’ll let you know how it works.

Bottom Line

Be ready for spring and summer.  Bugs will come and there is a good chance they will infiltrate your home somewhere somehow. If you don’t like pesticides around your home, at least make it more undesirable for pests.  Using mechanical means of keeping them out, along with a responsible professional program of applying pesticides, is your sure ticket to a much more enjoyable spring and summer.  THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT!!!   Try not to use the approach of doing things after the problem has already surfaced.  You are now fighting the battle defensively rather than offensively.  Look at it from this stand point.  If you’re Pete Carroll, and the Seattle Seahawks are leading by 3 touchdowns in the first quarter, you feel much better about your chances of winning the game than if you are behind by 3 touchdowns, in the fourth quarter, and the other team has the ball.

Remember

April showers not only bring May flowers, they bring a whole lot more to the party!  Have a beautiful spring and summer season and let us, here at LIND PEST CONTROL, help you enjoy your homes, decks, and patios in a bug free environment!