Common Summer Household Pests

Common Summer Household Pests

A household pest is any undesired animal that has a history of living, invading, causing damage to, eating food from, acting as a disease vector for, or causing any other harm to a human habitat. While most are considered a nuisance, household pests become dangerous when they pose a risk to health, property, or lifestyle. Household pests aren’t just limited to insects; they also include arachnids, rodents, and wildlife.

While household pests can be found year-round, some are more common in the summer months. Here are 8 of the most common summer household pests and how you can prevent them.

Mosquitoes

Mosquito
Mosquito season peaks in the summer months. The warm weather and humid environments accelerate their life cycle so they are able to reproduce in large numbers during this time. You are most likely to see mosquitoes when you have standing water on your property. Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water and the hot, humid climate in summer is ideal for both breeding and to find food sources. Mosquitoes are dangerous to humans as they carry pathogens that can cause serious diseases like Zika and West Nile virus.

Mosquitoes can be prevented by:

  • Avoiding the outdoors at dawn and dusk
  • Wearing clothing that covers arms and legs
  • Eliminating areas of standing water
  • Repair or replace torn window screens
  • Apply insect repellent

Ants

Ants
Ants hibernate in the winter and come out in full force over the summer. They have to forage in the summer months to feed their growing colonies and to build up their reserves for fall. Ants are usually seen indoors in the summer because they are searching for food and water as these can become scarce for them.

Ants can be prevented by:

  • Keeping your home clean, especially the kitchen
  • Not leaving pet food and water bowls outdoors
  • Keeping trees and shrubs trimmed away from the house
  • Sealing cracks and holes in your home’s exterior

Fleas

Fleas
Fleas are prevalent in the summer months, although they can be found on pets year-round. Pets will indicate the presence of fleas by scratching and biting when they come in from outdoors.

Fleas can be prevented by:

  • Treating pets for fleas with preventative medication
  • Vacuuming frequently, especially in areas that pets frequent, and disposing of the bag immediately
  • Treating your yard with outdoor flea spray
  • Washing pet bedding and toys weekly in hot water

Ticks

Ticks
Ticks are problematic to humans and pets because they spread diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Tick bites increase in the summer because people and animals are spending more time outside. The US is also seeing an increase in ticks because of the combination of mild winters and an increased population of deer and rodents which are known to carry ticks.

Ticks can be prevented by:

  • Using tick preventatives on pets
  • Wearing long sleeves and closed toe shoes when outdoors
  • Avoid areas with high grass or woods when possible
  • Eliminating debris and wood piles from your property
  • Wearing insect repellent
  • Checking yourself and your pets for ticks immediately after coming in from outdoors
  • Removing any ticks found immediately

Termites

Termites
Termite swarming season is in the spring but these newly established colonies grow exponentially in the summer. Termites can go long periods of time undetected, causing significant damage to your home. It is important to keep an eye out for signs of termites so you can catch them early.

Termites can be prevented by:

  • Eliminating wood to soil contact around foundations
  • Creating a 4 inch barrier between wood mulch and your home
  • Keeping plants a few feet away from your home
  • Making sure storm drains point away from foundations
  • Fixing leaks and eliminating any other sources of excess moisture
  • Having an annual termite inspection performed

Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers
While most people view grasshoppers as just a nuisance pest, they can be devastating to gardeners and farmers. Grasshoppers can devour an entire field of crops in just a few days. Grasshoppers surge in large numbers in the summer months and are most prevalent in dry, hot summers. Grasshoppers can also cause damage to non-farmers as these are one of the only pests that can chew through screens.

Grasshoppers can be prevented by:

  • Plant flowers that deter grasshoppers (lilac, crepe myrtle, verbena, sage, juniper)
  • Plant vegetables that don’t attract grasshoppers (squash, peas, tomatoes)
  • Introduce predators by making your garden attractive to birds
  • Use floating row covers on crops and plants
  • Consider natural products that kill grasshoppers without harming other animals or plants (Nosema locustae or Beauveria bassiana)

Flies

Flies
Flies invade your home in the summer months to escape the heat. They only reproduce during the hotter months and reproduce even more prolifically when they get indoors. Flies will stick around well into the fall months.

Flies can be prevented by:

  • Keeping windows, doors, and vents sealed
  • Using garbage cans with tight fitting lids
  • Taking the garbage out when it is full
  • Storing food in airtight containers
  • Not leaving dirty dishes out
  • Not leaving grass clippings in the yard
  • Turning off outdoor lights at night

Stinging Insects

Stinging Insects
Stinging insects mate in the spring and their populations grow during the summer months. Hornets and yellow jackets are especially common in the summer because they have to establish new nests each year. These are usually found under decking or under piles of leaves. These stinging insects are potentially dangerous for people with allergies. Yellow jackets and bees can also get into the walls of homes, causing significant damage.

Stinging insects can be prevented by:

  • Wearing shoes when outdoors
  • Keeping trash cans tightly covered
  • Eliminating dirt patches on your lawn
  • Avoiding sweet smelling perfumes
  • Don’t swat at stinging insects

Don’t let these common summer pests ruin your summer. If you have a problem with any of these pests, contact a professional pest control company who can help eliminate them safely and prevent them going forward.

 

You May Also Be Interested In:

Termites: How to Stop Their Damage

Keeping Cool for the Summer

Turning A Yellow Lawn Green

Fleas, Ticks, and Chiggers: What’s the Difference?

Pigeons, Sparrows, & Starlings: Nuisance Bird Control

Bon Appetit?: A Different Type of Insect Bites

Normally, an invitation from a friend to go out to lunch will be met with enthusiastic acceptance. However, if your friend tells you that bugs are on the menu, you’ll probably take a rain check. Here in the U.S. most people go great lengths to avoid creepy crawlers in the kitchen, but other countries around the world have a different view.

In some countries, dishes featuring insects are delicacies, so these meals are a rare and unusual treat, much like escargot and caviar. Grasshoppers are the favorite insect to eat, being included in the diets of some people from Latin America, Japan, Africa and the Middle East. Other insect treats include wasp larvae, silk moth pupae, and termites. Some brave students over at Princeton University decided to give it a try, though they described their silkworm treat as “surprisingly bland.”

One researcher states “insects have been a delicacy… not only because of their delicious flavor, but also because they provide a more complete protein… and are concentrated sources of calcium, magnesium, potassium and many other nutrients.” So not only do some people think they taste good, but some insects are also good for you – better than soy, meat, and fish! In addition, insect farming is ecologically less damaging than raising animals for human consumption. At Northwest Exterminating, we have a different type of recipe when it comes to insects. Our goal is also to reduce our impact on the environment while protecting your home from unwanted pests.

Sources:

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/2795548-insects-are-worldwide-delicacies

http://blogs.princeton.edu/paw/2010/11/bugging_out_stu.html

Melissa Brown
[email protected]

Entomophobia

 

Do bees give you the creeps or do they down right frighten you into hyperventilation? If it’s the latter, you are possibly suffering from entomophobia. Entomophobia is a fear of insects or bugs. This predicament can bring about emotional and mental states such as panic attacks.

A famous entomophobe was the artist Salvador Dali. When Dalí was five years old, he witnessed an insect that had been eaten by ants where the shell was the only thing that remained. The swarming ants in Dalí’s pieces and models are innuendos to death and decomposition, and are hints of human mortality and uncertainty.

Ant Face by Salvador Dali

Dalí had an extreme phobia of grasshoppers, brought on from his adolescent harassment by other kids, who frequently hurled grasshoppers and other insects at him. When they emerge in Dalí’s art, grasshoppers are utilized as an indication of devastation, decay and despair. Dalí characterizes them with a fearsome nature, as huge and alarming in comparison to the other figures, and they are shown in the act of eating the main subject of the work a number of times.

Although Salvador Dali was an odd guy, we can all agree that some insects are just plain creepy.

What is your phobia?

Cara Carver
[email protected]

Pin It on Pinterest

Call Now Button