Common Pest Problems After a Miami Hurricane

Common Pest Problems After a Miami Hurricane

Miami, Florida is known for its beautiful beaches, lively city, and hurricanes! Unfortunately, hurricanes can bring in an influx of certain pest problems that can cause significant damage and be a nuisance. Check out the common hurricane pest problems that you could see after a storm and how to prevent them.

Common Pests After a Hurricane

Check out the most common hurricane pests you could see after a storm which include:

  • Mosquitoes: Standing water left behind by the storm will become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Items that hold water are a huge attractant to these pests, including toys, overturned trash lids, bird baths, flowerpot sauces, and more.
  • Cockroaches: Flooded areas are an ideal living environment for cockroaches to inhabit as they prefer damp climates and areas. Likewise, once they invade, it can be difficult to control them as they reproduce at a rapid pace.
  • Termites: Flooding and moisture can weaken the structure of homes, making them more susceptible to termite infestations. Termites will cause significant wood damage and destroy the structural integrity of your home by eating it from the inside out.
  • Rodents: These wildlife creatures will seek out damaged or flooded areas. Rodents, such as rats, carry many diseases and can cause damage to your home, including chewed electrical wires and destroyed insulation.

Preventing Pests Before a Hurricane

Taking precautions before a hurricane or storm arrives is the best way to prevent hurricane pests from invading your home. Check out our top pest prevention tips:

  • Keep your gutters clear of debris and standing water
  • Place wood debris and tree stumps away from your house.
  • Keep your home clutter-free by removing any old newspapers, magazines, and cardboard boxes.
  • Eliminate standing water around your home by checking for any leaky faucets, pipes, sinks, and appliances.
  • Remove any items from your yard that can collect water, such as toys, buckets, old tires, tarps, etc.
  • Seal up any cracks and holes outside of your home, including the areas where utility and pipes enter.
  • Ensure your vents are screened and any gaps around your windows and doors are sealed.
  • Store firewood at least 20 feet away from your home and elevated it at least 5 inches off the ground.
  • Keep your home clutter-free by removing any old newspapers, magazines, and cardboard boxes.

If you’ve seen an increase in pest activity after a storm, it could be time to reach out to your local pest control company for a thorough inspection and treatment plan.

Pest-Proofing for the Spring Season in Murfreesboro

Pest-Proofing for the Spring Season in Murfreesboro

Tennessee Pest Control: Spring Pests

Spring season brings fresh air, warmer weather, and pests! Because of spring’s climate, household pests, including ants, roaches, mosquitoes, termites, rodents, and other pests start emerging from hibernation, looking for a food source and a place to nest. Before these pests emerge in droves, now is the perfect time to prevent them. Check out our tips on keeping unwanted spring pests away from your Tennessee home!

Seal All Entry Points

The smallest crack, crevice, or hole can let pests inside your home. Check around the exterior of your home, including your foundation, pipes, windows, doors, and HVAC units for these areas. Cockroaches, rodents, wasps, ants, and more will gain access and cause several problems in your home. If you notice any openings, seal them tightly with caulk. For doors, consider utilizing a sweep to seal the gap between the floor and the door. Utilize screens on doors and windows and make sure they’re always in good repair.

Eliminate Stagnant Water

The combination of warmer weather and standing water will attract pests like mosquitoes and roaches to your property. Standing water is a major pest attractant and allows them to multiply and thrive, making it essential to remove it. Check your exterior and interior for leaks. Even dripping faucets and loose fixtures can attract pests. Check your yard for any items that could collect water and remove them, including flowerpots, old tires, tarps, toys, etc. Also, consider enclosing your crawlspace to help reduce moisture and control temperatures inside your home.

Store Your Woodpiles

Many pests will utilize our firewood to hitchhike their way inside our homes. Place and store your woodpiles at least 20 feet away from your home. For extra protection, consider placing them in plastic containers with lids and elevate them off the ground to prevent termites and roaches from living in them. Before you bring it indoors, inspect it for pests and brush them off.

Clear Clutter

Starting early on your spring cleaning could pay off in keeping pests away! Consider starting at the lowest level of your home and working your way up to declutter. Clean the floors, dust, sweep, mop, vacuum, and remove unnecessary items from your closets and drawers. Get rid of old newspapers and cardboard boxes in storage, as these can attract rodents looking for a place to nest. In your yard, remove old tree stumps, twigs, and other debris. Likewise, rake up all the leaves and continue mowing on a regular basis.

Clean Up & Properly Store Food

Mice and rats are looking for food to survive, invading our kitchens to find it. It’s important to clean your kitchen and safely store leftover food. After each meal, wipe down your counters and clean up any leftover crumbs or spills. On a regular basis, sweep and mop your kitchen floors, and don’t forget to clean under your appliances too. Take your garbage out regularly, using trashcans with lids. When storing food, make sure you utilize airtight containers.

While utilizing these pest prevention tips will always help keep bugs from invading your home, sometimes it’s best to call a professional for extra protection. Your local pest control company can assess your home, identify any sources of pest problems, and provide you with a pest control and prevention plan.

Common Springs Pests in Your Macon Home

Common Springs Pests in Your Macon Home

Macon Pest Control: Preventing Spring 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.

While they can be common year-round, some are common in the spring months. Here are a few common spring pests you can find in your Georgia home:

Termites

Termite swarming season begins in the springtime. Swarming season is when young termites leave their current colony and go off to find mates and establish new colonies. If you begin to see swarmers, it might mean a colony is nearby.

Ticks

Ticks are problematic to humans and pets because they spread diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. You might begin to see an increase of tick bites in the springtime. The mild winters in Georgia don’t help with keeping ticks away for long, so you should always be aware of ticks at any time of the year.

Ants

With heavy rainfall in the early spring, you can expect to see ants finding their way inside your home. They will begin to search for food and water, which your home has plenty of.

Flies

These pesky pests will find their way inside once the weather begins to warm up. They can spread many pathogens by picking them up on their feet when landing on different items.

Prevent Spring Pests:

  • Keep windows, doors, and vents sealed
  • Use garbage cans with sealed lids
  • Keep plants and tree limbs cut away from your house
  • Fix leaks to prevent excess moisture
  • Wear insect repellent
  • Keep home clean and free of crumbs, especially the kitchen
  • Keep up with quarterly pest control

If you’re ready to begin prevention of these spring pests, reach out to your local pest control company to receive a free quote and the best plan of action to keep pests away!

What To Do If You See Roaches

What To Do If You See Roaches

Roaches are one of the most common household pests. These pests are resilient, adapting to just about any environment. When you spot one cockroach, there are usually several more hidden out of sight. Cockroaches carry diseases, contaminate surfaces they come into contact with, and can trigger allergies and asthma. They are extremely difficult to get rid of once an infestation is established, both due to their resiliency and their ability to reproduce quickly and often. So what do you do if you see roaches in your home?

The first step is to identify what type of roach you are dealing with. Some of the most common cockroaches found in homes in the United States are American roaches, German roaches, and Oriental roaches. The type of roach you have and the size of the infestation are both determining factors in the course of treatment.

The second step is to contact the professionals. Because roaches are so difficult to get rid of, the services of a professional pest control company are beneficial. A technician will come out and give your home a thorough inspection to help determine the type and size of the infestation to set up a custom treatment plan that targets only the intended pests. They will also set you up with ongoing pest control in the future.

The final step is ongoing prevention to keep the roaches from coming back. Cockroaches come into your home in search of food and water. They usually thrive in warm, moist environments. Help keep them out by:

  • Repairing leaky faucets
  • Sealing pipes
  • Wiping down countertops and appliances
  • Storing food in containers
  • Emptying garbage
  • Sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming regularly
  • Carefully inspecting boxes, bags, appliances, and furniture before bringing it indoors

 

You May Also Be Interested In:

Add Some Shine to Your Crawl Space

Benefits to Winter Pest Control

Rodent Control Methods For Your Home

5 Winter Lawn Care Tips for Southern Homes

Which Season is Worst for Bed Bugs?

5 Reasons You’re Attracting Pests To Your Bonita Springs Home

5 Reasons You’re Attracting Pests To Your Bonita Springs Home

Bonita Springs Pest Control: Keeping Household Pests Out

Whether it’s stinging pests invading your porch, rats inside your crawlspace, or mosquitoes taking over your yard, dealing with an infestation of household pests can be a major headache. With hot, humid weather present in the Bonita Springs area during most of the year, it seems as though pests never go away. Unfortunately, as humans, we can sometimes bring a pest infestation upon ourselves. Check out the top 5 reasons you’re attracting pests into your Bonita Springs home.

Trash

Pests such as roaches, rats, and ants are all looking for a food source. Our leftover trash is their dinnertime and, if access is gained, they can create an unwanted mess. If your outside trash can is not secured, these pests can easily get inside and keep coming back for more. Ensure that your trashcan lid is tightly sealed and trash bags are without rips or tears. Don’t forget your inside trash too, making sure that all trash cans have lids to avoid exposed food scraps.

Stagnant Water

Stagnant or standing water attracts a dreaded pest we’re all trying to avoid: mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes only need a small amount of water to breed, which can often be found throughout your yard without your knowledge. Toy buckets, pet bowls, tarps, old tires, and more are all items that can hold water and make a perfect breeding site for mosquitoes. To avoid this, remove these items from your yard, especially after a rainstorm. Additionally, look for any ditches or uneven spots in your yard that can pool and consider leveling them or filling the areas in.

Clutter

Clutter makes a great home and hiding place for pests and rodents. Decluttering and cleaning items out to eliminate these hiding places will help prevent pests in the long run. Remove old newspapers, utilize plastic containers instead of cardboard, and make sure that clothes aren’t piled on the floor.

Dirty Kitchen

If you leave dirty dishes in the sink, even for one night, it can attract pests like flies, ants, and cockroaches into your home. After each meal, wash and put your dishes away to help combat these pests. Likewise, it’s best to clean up any leftover crumbs or spilled liquids, especially if they contain sugar, as soon as possible. Don’t forget behind and under your kitchen appliances too. Pests like to hide behind stoves and refrigerators, waiting for their chance to consume an available food source.

Excessive Moisture

Most pests need water for survival and prefer a damp environment. Sometimes factors throughout our homes can give them a water source, leading to an infestation. Certain termites eat damp wood, causing significant structural damage and costly repairs. A leaky faucet can attract pests like mice, who are known to return to areas if they’ve found a food or water source. Check throughout your home for any leaky pipes, faucets, or even AC units and repair them as soon as possible. Also dry areas in your basement, utilizing a dehumidifier if needed. If you have a crawlspace, consider crawlspace enclosure to ensure no moisture is found.

If you notice an influx of pests throughout your home or want to stay on top of your pest prevention, consider contacting your local Bonita Springs pest control company to provide you with a comprehensive treatment and prevention plan.

 

Request a Free Pest Control Analysis

Pin It on Pinterest

Call Now Button