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There’s nothing like warmer weather and sunshine to wake you up and make you feel ready for summer. Unfortunately, the same goes for our creepy crawly little friends. Here are some tips to help either combat or prevent the pests from invading your home.
1. Standing water
Insects of all kinds consider standing water their own personal watering hole and breeding ground. Where you see a swimming pool, they see a party. If your sprinklers are overwatering and leaving extra water, you’re basically sending out an invitation welcoming all of the local bugs to come hang out in your yard – and you can bet they’ll bring plenty of friends. Eliminate standing water and adjust sprinklers so the tiny partygoers skip your yard and head somewhere else.
2. Don’t feed the wildlife
You would never consider putting out a bowl of food to feed mice, spiders and mosquitos, right? It turns out you might be doing just that without even knowing it. Keep pet food in airtight containers, clean up fallen food and make sure your garbage is kept in a secure place.
3. Secure the fortress
Small insects only need a small entrance to invade your home. Make sure you’re keeping entry points to a minimum by checking weather stripping around doors and windows, fixing cracked windows and screens and checking around the house for holes in grates and cracks in your home’s foundation.
4. Plant smart
The plants you choose to put around your house can affect the insects that are attracted to home and yard. Rosemary deters most insects so plant it in pots and place them by entrances to your home. Feverfew tends to keep away hornets. Not only can you keep away “bad” bugs, you can also choose plants to increase the “good” bug population. These are the guys that feed on the “bad” guys. Choose flowers like alyssum, sunflowers, zinnias and marigolds. Not only will they bloom beautifully every year, they’ll also give you a steady supply of good guys.
5. Know when to call a pro
When it’s all said and done, sometimes you just need to call a pro. A qualified pest control specialist can help you find safe, effective and humane ways to get rid of any household pests, from spiders to mice and even the bigger varieties. Find one near you at KSL Local.
For all of your yard and home care service needs, check KSL Local for reviews and information.
