Spring is the time of new life in nature, and unfortunately, nature means various pests. Tulsa winters are often not cold enough to kill insects and rodents, but they are always cold enough to drive them underground. Therefore, in the spring, hunger makes pests very active.
Partnering with a local Tulsa pest control company is the best way to preserve your family’s health and peace of mind during the spring. Between treatments, however, there are some things you can do to keep your home pest-free during March, April, and May.
Know Your Adversary
In the immortal words of those vintage G.I. Joe public service announcements, knowing is half the battle. If you know what pests are a problem in your neighborhood, it is much easier to prepare a proper welcome for them.
As a very general rule of thumb, if you live in an older or less-developed area, rodents are often a problem, especially if you live near a field. In other parts of town, watch out for spiders and ants. All these pests are more active than normal during the spring, mostly because they are looking for food. Wherever you live watch out for mosquitos. Standing water from spring rains invites these pests into your yard.
Inspect Your Home
Winter’s dramatic temperature changes often cause hairline cracks to appear in foundations and walls. These tiny openings are not a problem structurally, but they are large enough for insects and rodents to squeeze through. Seal these openings with caulk or another substance.
Inspect the inside of your home as well. When you purchased holiday decorations, there is a good chance that they were infested with pests. Also, keep your home as dry as possible, especially in the basement. Moisture attracts pests.
Maintain the Yard
Melting ice and snow usually leaves yard debris and mud behind. When pests come to your home for food, if they find these things in your yard, they might nest there permanently. At that point, pests are much harder to eradicate. The cleaner your yard is in spring, the easier it is to control pests later in the year.
Monitor Waste and Food
Many hungry pests have heightened senses. They can easily detect indoor food sources. So, keep food, including pet food, sealed in airtight containers. Seal indoor and outdoor trash receptacles, or at least keep the lids on them. Finally, quickly clean up any food or beverage spills.
Reduce Moisture
Dampness attracts all kinds of pests, either because they need it for drinking water, or they thrive in moist environments. Winter’s temperature changes often hairline cracks on pipes and other minor damage, as mentioned above. A tiny amount of moisture can support and entire colony of pests. Also, make sure your gutters are free flowing and water is not pooling.
Control Clutter
During the winter, clutter often develops. Boxes pile up and shoes are temporarily abandoned in closets. All pests crave shelter, both inside and outside. That’s especially true of spiders, roaches, and other creepy crawlies. The cleaner your house is, the fewer places these pests have to hide.
Contact us to learn more spring pest control tips.
