Keep critters outside where they belong
“The ants go marching one by one hurrah, hurrah!” is a great childhood song but it’s not so great when it is actually happening in your home. So in a quest to solve an ant problem and keep bugs out this summer, check out these effective methods to keep the bugs at bay.
Ants
Unfortunately, ants are like bees; they live in a colony with one or two queens that lay eggs to produce more ants. There are many different types of ants and they fly and swarm in the spring just like termites. Spraying ants does absolutely no good because you are only killing the ants that you see rather than taking out the queens and the nest. Baiting ants, on the other hand, can be very effective.
Ant bait traps can be found at your local super market or home center. These little plastic bait traps should be placed anywhere you see ants. It may take some time and experimentation with a few different brands before you see a decrease in your ant population. If you’re just not that patient you can call in a professional insect control expert like Terminix to deal with the problem. They have access to a larger variety of baits and are trained in distinguishing which type of ant you have, and therefore use the most appropriate treatment to control your ant problem and locate the ant nest.
Termites
Termites are by far the worst bugs that can attack your home because they have the potential to cause very expensive structural damage. Often you won’t even know they are there until it is too late. Subterranean termites are the most common termites in the United States and one of the most difficult bugs to deal with. These termites live below ground and will generally stay away from sunlight and air. You will know subterranean termites are in your home or neighborhood when you see swarms of the winged version of this insect flying around in the spring. A termite inspector can also inspect your home to determine if you have subterranean termites. The first level of defense against subterranean termites is prevention. These insects need moisture and wood or cellulose to survive. There are several steps you can take to make your home less attractive to termites, including:
- - Check to make sure all of your gutters are clean, working properly and water isn’t pooling anywhere near your foundation.
- - Keep woodpiles elevated, dry, covered and away from your house.
- - Remove any old wood debris from under the house or porch.
- - Keep soil and wood chips away from wood siding and wooden posts.
- - Remove dense vegetation from the base of your foundation. 6-8 inches of clearance between your foundation and your home is a good rule of thumb to protect your home against termites.
- - Damp cellars, crawl spaces and attics should be dried out and the source of the moisture needs to be identified and corrected.
In addition to termite prevention, there are a number of approaches for dealing with the insects once they have started to dine on your home. Chemical termiticides can be applied as barriers beneath your home and around the perimeter. Some of these chemicals actually kill the insects and other types actually just repel them. More eco-friendly types of treatments include termite “traps” that lure the insects away from your property, and the application of heat, cold, microwaves and electrical currents by termite professionals to kill the insects. Treating exposed wood with Boric acid is another popular treatment that is less toxic than the traditional termiticides. The best way of dealing with subterranean termites is to call in a termite professional and have your home inspected and treated before things get out of control. Most pest control companies also offer maintenance programs to make sure the termites don’t return.
Flying Bugs, Spiders, and Creepy Crawlies
Keeping flying bugs, spiders and creepy crawlies out of your home this summer starts with a good spring cleaning and repairing any damaged screens and window/door seals. Sometimes a new $7.00 rubber door guard placed at the bottom of your door will be enough to stop insects. You or a professional can also apply insect barrier sprays around the perimeter of your home and at door and window openings to deter pests and keep them outside.
An effective and more eco-friendly method of insect control is to go to the garden center and purchase a Praying Mantis egg. When the weather warms up the egg will hatch and you will have your own veritable Mantis army out there patrolling your yard for other insects. Spider traps placed in dark, out of the way places like the basement are fairly effective at dealing with summer spiders. Traditional and new types of bug zappers are also available to deal with large populations of flying insects like mosquitoes. If you come across a serious infestation like a beehive you should always call in a professional to deal with the problem.
Summer-ize your home and keep the bugs outside this summer. The sooner you go after an insect problem the better, because insects are the most successful animals on the planet. With a little work and a little help from a professional pest control firm like Terminix, you can sleep better at night knowing your home is bug free.
