Summer Insects: Bring the heat, not the bugs

Pest Control Tips

3 ways to enjoy summer without bugs

Preparing for the summer season is more involved than simply unpacking your bathing suit and purchasing a pair of flip-flops. As temperatures begin to rise, so does the insect population. Warm temperatures coupled with abundant new plant life allow insects to fulfill their life cycle. Because insects are cold blooded, the environment regulates their body temperature. In hot weather, bugs are much more active. Larvae grow faster, insect’s speed increases and mating peaks. As the insects strengthen their numbers, keeping them off and out all summer long can be a challenge. Here are 3 tips to keep your summer bug free.

• Leave the perfume: A few sprays of your favorite perfume may be attractive, but with it you will attract more bugs than boys. Many types of fragrances mimic the odor of flowers, citrus and sweets. Bugs love these smells and they will flock to you.

• Use unscented bug spray: If you have ever been part of a camping experience, bug spray was most likely first on your grocery list. Insects such as mosquitos, black flies and deer flies are attracted to humans by their skin odor. Bug spray works to interfere with the insect’s senses and redirect the insect from the skin. Although bug spray keeps bugs from biting you, it does not keep the bugs from flying around you. Bug spray is only effective at close distances from the treated surface.

• Keep your yard clean: Often, bugs are invited near/in your home by the way the yard is maintained. Standing water, pooling and poor drainage channels can be quite inviting to mosquitos and other bugs. If you have a swimming pool, keep it chlorinated and filtered. Be sure to rotate fountain water every other week. Removing debris and leaves can help eliminate hiding spots for critters

If your pests are persistent and you find yourself swatting throughout the day, you might need some extra help. Contact your pest control expert to fully diagnose the bug infestation. It may require more potent measures