Do’s and Don’ts for Summertime Critters!

Winter isn’t the only time you need to protect your home against pests. Critters and insects can enter the house at any time of year, but summer can be tricky for some homeowners because certain nuisance animals are most active during those months. For instance, termites tend to start swarming in the late spring. By summer, an entire infestation can be lurking near your property, out of sight and out of mind.

But the good news is this: if you live in an area where wildlife always seems to find its way into the home, humane wildlife removal is an option to remove animals without harming them safely. Without a doubt, the expertise of a wildlife control franchise is crucial when deciding exactly how to remove the animals. On the flip side, you can do things during summer to minimize the risk, so here’s a breakdown of the top do’s and don’ts to keep in mind as you secure your property.

Bill Dowd – founder of Skedaddle – always shares his expertise with clients, and his insights can give homeowners a head’s up on how to eliminate pests in summer. The protections are slightly different than winter, and that’s the catch since not every homeowner knows what pests to look out for during each season.

As Bill advised in a recent interview, “pests go in cycles. Initially, the first species we see are ants and spiders in spring and summer. In the warmer months, it’s bees, wasps, and hornets.” Still, you have to deal with insects and pests the right way from the beginning.

“When people see an ant or a spider, they go to a retail store to buy a product over the shelf,” Bill added. “But products often make problems worse! Over-the-counter products don’t have the same effect or potency. Don’t see a bug inside your house and think ‘it’s just one’ because the problem is that they are predators, which means there are other insects inside the home for them to eat.”

Top 3 pest control do’s for summertime

With that in mind, the top three do’s for summertime include:

• Do deal with the issue quickly
• Do hire professionals
• Do adhere to a four-season pest control program

Let’s discuss each one a bit more before moving on to the top three don’ts.

Do deal with the issue quickly

Any infestation, especially the insect variety, can get out of hand in weeks, if not days. Regarding bugs, the sheer speed with which they can reproduce offspring demands a proactive stance. When you see one bug, you can guarantee that there are many more you don’t see, and that’s when it’s time to call in the team at Skedaddle to find the source. 

Do hire professionals

You also want to shy away from the do-it-yourself route because it’s not very effective at the end of the day. You may not know exactly what you’re dealing with, so if you buy the wrong products – or use them wrong altogether – you can cause more harm than good. An animal control franchise will know to look for common nesting locations and notice signs of other insects you have yet to identify, which is where a four-season pest control program comes into the equation too.

Do adhere to a four-season pest control program

“The best solution for any pest control is a four-season program where we come out four times a year, putting a barrier outside of the home based on the time of year and the life cycles of seasonal pests,” Bill also recommended. The reason is that pests and insects vary widely from location to location. For instance, different rodent species may have similar nesting preferences, but regional differences also count.

Relying on a four-season program from a reputable pest control franchise is how you get out in front of pests each season – and staying away from the top three pest control don’ts for summertime. 

Top 3 pest control don’ts for summertime

Sometimes, you can make the problem worse accidentally, so here are the top three don’ts for summertime pest control:

• Don’t leave trash, debris, and food inside or outside of the home
• Don’t buy pest control materials and do it yourself
• Don’t let bed bugs hitchhike to your home

Here’s why you want to avoid them altogether if you can.

Don’t leave trash, debris, and food inside or outside of the home

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a homeowner is leaving trash, debris, and food around. Whether it’s an outdoor trash can or a food pantry, pests will find ways to get inside, especially insects that don’t need much food to survive. Pests like raccoons and mice will break into the home for food, and trash only attracts them in droves.

Don’t buy pest control materials and do it yourself

It’s also not advisable to buy pest control materials to eliminate pests on your own. Why? Honestly, you may not be applying the right solution to the problem. Materials may get rid of pests the old-fashioned way, but what about their food sources and nesting locations? If you don’t remove those, the animals will keep returning until you take them away.

Don’t let bed bugs hitchhike to your home

Lastly, watch out for bed bugs hitchhiking to your home because Bill and the team at Skedaddle have noticed an uptick in bed bug infestations. It’s an increasing problem in recent times, so be aware that you can bring them home accidentally when you visit a hotel, movie theater, or anywhere else people gather. 

You’ll ultimately have a greater chance of protecting your home from summertime critters and pests if you follow these don’ts and don’ts. Contact Bill and the team today for details if you’d like to learn more about a pest control business for sale.