Summer is a time for enjoying time outside, for backyard cook-outs and playing catch with the kids and the dog. Nothing puts a damper on your outdoor fun like yard pests. Fleas, ticks, ants, mosquitoes, chiggers, mites, spiders, palmetto bugs, and even centipedes aren’t just a nuisance – they can carry and spread serious illness. Here are 8 handy tips to help you reduce pests in your yard.
1. Keep your lawn healthy – Many pests are attracted to dying or decaying plant matter. By keeping your lawn healthy, you reduce the amount of decaying foliage there is to attract pests.
2. Keep your lawn mowed – Part of keeping your lawn healthy is keeping it maintained and mowed. Taller grasses make ideal hiding places for some common yard pests, like ticks, for example. Keeping your grass close-cropped denies pests their preferred yard conditions.
3. Avoid standing water – Dump out bird baths, bring in pet water dishes and remedy any low spots in your yard that collect excess water. Pests like mosquitoes use standing water to lay eggs and reproduce. Removing sources of standing water deters pests – and their offspring.
4. Take care of trash – Don’t leave trash bags out to attract vermin and pests. Keep all trash in secured trash cans with snug-fitting lids to avoid giving yard pests an open invitation.
5. Keep foliage trimmed – Grass isn’t the only place you find yard pests. Bushes, shrubs and trees can harbor bugs too. Keeping them trimmed and dead or dying limbs removed makes foliage in your yard much less attractive to pests.
6. Keep mulch beds in check at no more than 4-6 inches – Deep piles of mulch make ideal hiding places for a variety of pests. By keeping layers of mulch thinner, the heat of the sun can heat through the entire mulch bed and prevent cool spots for bugs to hide out in.
7. Guard against wild animals – Wild animals often carry pests on their bodies and transport them from yard to yard. Install a fence, ensure crawlspaces are well-sealed and keep pet food inside. The less attractive your yard is for wild animals, the more likely they’ll choose another space – and take their pest hitchhikers with them.
8. Don’t feed the animals – No matter how cute they may seem, don’t feed wild animals. Not only will they bring their bug friends with them, but some will try to take up residence in your home. Unexpected furry critters don’t make good roommates.
If you are dealing with yard pests, The Pest Force can help! Our Yard Treatments are tailored to the area, types of pests, climate, and even weather on the day of treatment to ensure your summer fun isn’t spoiled by uninvited guests. For even better protection from pests year-round, we offer quarterly pest management agreements. And our quarterly pest management customers get extra perks like discounts on additional services. One of our friendly representatives is happy to go over your options with you.