Common Summer Pests & How to Manage Them
It’s insect season here in Alabama, where you’ll likely see all kinds of summer pests! To get your summer pest problems under control, it’s good to know which ones you’re dealing with. Keep reading to learn more about common summer pests, how to prevent and manage their presence around your home, and when to call the pest control professionals.
Mosquitoes
The deadliest of all summer pests—and insects overall—on the planet, the ever-bothersome mosquito is infuriatingly abundant during the summer. Standing water around your property? There’s a chance mosquitoes have already used it to lay eggs.
Mosquito control in Alabama is an absolute must since the hot, humid climate creates the ideal environment for them to feed and breed. The key is to break the reproduction cycle: Get rid of standing water and kill off the adults.
Ants
After a long winter of hibernation, an army of ants will likely come marching through your home during the hot summer months. Ants must constantly forage to feed their growing colonies and stockpile reserves for autumn. If you see them in your home, they’re hunting for food and water, which can be scarce during dry summers.
The best method for preventing ants (and most summer pests) is to keep things clean. Hungry ants in search of food can detect even the tiniest crumbs. Pet owners must be careful of putting food and water bowls outdoors; it invites ants to move closer to your home.
Fleas
Every summer, your pets will alert you to a growing bug problem: fleas. If your pets haven’t received flea treatments by early summer, they’ll probably start scratching and biting after playing outside, bringing these outdoor summer pests into your home. It isn’t easy to get rid of fleas once they take up residence in your house; prevent an indoor infestation from happening in the first place by treating pets for ticks and fleas.
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to keep fleas in check? Try using Seresto collars—they protect pets from fleas for up to eight months. However, if fleas are already a problem in your home, you’ll need indoor pest control treatment.
Ticks
Even if fleas aren’t visibly biting you and your pets, ticks could be. Like mosquitoes, ticks are particularly problematic because they spread disease. Tick bites increase during the summer simply because people and animals spend more time outdoors.
Right now, the U.S. is experiencing a surge in ticks. It results from a combination of mild winters and increased rodent and deer populations—two animals that ticks regularly prey on.
Keep an eye out for ticks on your and your pets’ skin and fur after spending time in high grass or wooded areas. If you find one on you, firmly grip it at the head with tweezers to make sure you pull it up and out completely. After removal, monitor yourself for severe flu-like symptoms for the next two weeks; if they occur, contact your physician immediately, and don’t forget to mention the tick bite.
Termites
Spring is the season for termite swarms, but summer is when population numbers grow. The termite queen is busy laying up to 30,000 eggs each day, so if you see termites on your property, you can expect only to see more as the summer goes on.
Termite control is an absolute must if you’ve spotted these summer pests. Once they’ve found a food source (wood structures on your property) and established a colony, it takes serious measures to remove them.
Grasshoppers
Farmers are entirely aware of the presence of grasshoppers during the summer. When in large numbers, this hungry pest can quickly devour an entire field in a matter of days. During dry, scorching summers, we’re more likely to see grasshopper damage in the South.
Even if you don’t have crops, grasshoppers can be a serious nuisance in the summer. Why? They’re one of the few insects that can chew through screens.
Flies
All it takes is an outdoor picnic to realize the flies are back for summer. But they won’t just bug you outdoors—houseflies have their name for a reason.
Flies will invade your home during the summer to escape the heat because they only reproduce during hot months—the problem only worsens if they get inside. Even more concerning, flies are among the few summer pests that will stick around well into the fall.
Stinging Summer Pests
After the spring mating season, the number of stinging insects will continue to grow throughout the summer. Hornets and yellow jackets are particularly problematic because they must establish new nests yearly. You’ll most likely find those nests tucked away under leaves or decking.
Not only are stinging insects potentially dangerous for people with allergies, yellow jackets and bees can get into the walls of homes and wreak havoc. Rather than trying to handle the problem on your own, it’s best to get the help of experts if this occurs.
Summer Pests vs. Insects Good for the Garden
Keep in mind that not all summer bugs are inherently bad. If you have a garden, you know that the presence of ladybugs is beneficial for your plants to survive and grow because they eat aphids..
Hot-weather insects become summer pests when their presence is unwelcome, excessive, or causes harm to people, pets, or property.
Need Help Managing Summer Pests?
If you’ve spotted any of these summer pests around your property, contact Vulcan Termite and Pest Control today! Our expert technicians complete a full inspection before creating a custom pest control treatment plan that keeps bugs in check all summer long.