Is The Outside Of Your Home Inviting Insects Inside?
Do you keep finding insects inside your home? Maybe you've cleaned up, installed a dehumidifier, and even used baits and sprays, and yet, you are still finding them. The problem may not actually lie inside your home, but rather outside. If the outside of your home is the perfect place for insects to congregate, then they do not need to travel far to come inside. Here are a few features that might be making the outside of your home pest-friendly.
Brush and weeds
When you're done mowing the lawn or trimming your bushes, you're probably tired, and it's so tempting to just pile all of the brush and debris in a corner of your lawn and forget about it. But all sorts of bugs, from crickets to ants, love to take up residence in brush piles. Even if these insects themselves do not invade your home, they can serve as a meal for other bugs, like spiders, and those pests may work their way inside. Tidy up your lawn, and get into the habit of burning your lawn debris or sending it off to be composted.
Lights
Exterior lighting allows you to see what you're doing and better enjoy the exterior of your home at night. However, it also tends to attract bugs like box elder bugs and German cockroaches. You do not need to get rid of your outside lights and live in the dark, but consider moving them further from your door so that bugs who gather around them don't have such easy access. And don't leave the lights on when you don't need them.
Garbage
How clean is your garbage can? Is the lid secure? Trash is a favorite for cockroaches, ants, and other pests. You may be feeding them a buffet every day without even knowing it. Remember to clean your outside trash cans once a month. Also, consider placing a brick on top of the lid to make sure it is secure and bugs can't enter.
Standing Water
Many bugs breed in standing water. And standing water does not have to be a pond or ditch. It can be a wheelbarrow that has collected water, a watering can you forgot to empty, or a bucket that caught some rain. Do your best to avoid letting standing water sit on your property. Check after every rainstorm to make sure there are no containers holding water and attracting bugs.
For more help, contact an insect pest control company today.
