5 Reasons Why Summer is Pest Season

We’re in full summer mode, and before you know it those dog days will be here. But along with all the things we love about this season, come plenty of unwelcome guests, both indoors and outside – ants, cockroaches, mosquitoes, spiders, hornets, and yellow jackets. Unfortunately, increased pest activity is a well-known hallmark of summer. Here are the top reasons why they love this season as much as we do, and some key ways to take control over the pests that are looking to share your living spaces.

1. Temperature

It’s easy to think that because insects’ natural habitat is the great outdoors, they can handle whatever nature brings. And while many do depend on warmer temperatures for normal behavior and development, even they can reach a limit if temperatures climb too high. That’s when they might seek respite in your climate-controlled interior. In the meantime, they’ll be very active outdoors, busily taking care of business and perhaps more visible than at other times of the year.

2. Moisture

Whether due to plentiful showers or humidity in the air, the moisture that summer naturally brings creates the ideal environment for insects and other pests to thrive. Since water is key to life, if you’re experiencing a drought in your area that’s the time you’re likely to see pests coming indoors, seeking ready sources of moisture.

3. Food Sources

The natural cycle dictates that more sun and rain showers fuel plant growth. From grass to ornamental flower beds and vegetable gardens, those green spaces are the ideal habitat for many insects and other pests, like mosquitoes hornets, wasps, and yellow jackets. As the season progresses and they find less food sources, you’ll probably see a boom followed by an eventual decrease in their population.

4. Life Cycle

Unlike mammals, insect pests are typically cold-blooded and so rely on the warmth that summer brings to carry out their natural life cycle. They’ll often be very busy during warmer months, gathering food and drastically increasing in size to make sure that they will be able to make it through the coming winter with enough individuals to support their colony. This is one reason you’re likely to see what seems like far more insects out and about in summer.

5. Daylight

Much if not most of an insect or other pests’ waking time is spent eating or collecting and storing food. Since summer offers longer days and far more sunlight, they can take advantage of available food sources and collect more over a longer time period. We can’t fault the wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and mosquitoes – we take advantage of the light too, and might be outside gardening, entertaining, or just enjoying the outdoors into the evening hours. More time spent outside means we’ll naturally come into contact with more pests.

How You Can Control Pests

While honeybees and so many other insects go about their business and rarely interact with us, mosquitoes, hornets, wasps, and yellow jackets are often all too happy to let us know we’re on their turf. And unfortunately, those interactions can sting or even transmit disease. Here are a few suggestions you can implement to prevent ill effects and make your outdoor spaces more enjoyable and worry-free this summer:

Keep gutters clean: with all the pollen in the air and rain storms that summer brings, gutters can harbor damp debris that are the perfect breeding ground for many backyard pests

Keep vegetation in check: plants that are too close to any structure provide the cover that pests crave – clear vegetation roughly two feet away from any building

Keep up on maintenance: cracks and crevices in exterior walls, floors, and pavement are some ideal entry points for many pests – added weather stripping or caulking around windows and door frames can prevent wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets from setting up shop

Keep trash contained: tight-fitting lids and regular trash pickup are key to eliminating a potential home or food source for many summer pests

Keep protection on hand: if you’ll be spending time outdoors, choose an effective repellent to avoid disease and irritation brought on by mosquitoes and other insects

Cleveland Pest Control is Within Reach

This summer, don’t suffer with excessive populations of hornets, yellow jackets, wasps and mosquitoes in your living spaces. If you’re fed up with these pests contact Cleveland Bee Removal and ask about our wasp extermination, hornet extermination, bee control, and other pest control services. The outdoors is pests’ natural environment, but with a little help from Cleveland Bee Removal you can keep them at bay. Give us a call today!