PEST PRACTICES
6 summer invaders and what homeowners can do about them
Every summer, the same uninvited guests show up: ants in the kitchen, mosquitoes in the backyard and sometimes something worse lurking inside your walls. Most homeowners deal with the obvious ones and move on. But a few summer pests can cause serious, costly damage before you realize there's a problem. Industry experts point to six summer pests that cost homeowners the most, from property damage and medical bills to pest control fees:
1 Ants
Ants are the No. 1 pest service request nationwide, and summer is their peak season. Heavy rain floods their underground nests, which pushes them indoors where they search for food and water.
Most species are a nuisance, but carpenter ants cause structural damage.
"They tunnel into damp, damaged wood," says John Bell, the southeast market technical director at global pest control company Terminix. That makes them a particular concern in the Pacific Northwest, Northeast and Midwest.
Early warning signs include:
■„ Trails of ants marching along baseboards, counters or walls. „
â– Small piles of dirt or debris near cracks (a sign of nesting).
■„ Faint rustling sounds inside walls (possible carpenter ants).
■„ Soft or hollow-sounding wood in damp areas.
When to call a pro: You keep seeing ants in the same spot, this usually means a larger colony is nearby.
2 Mosquitoes
"Mosquitoes breed in standing water and can do it in as little as a tablespoon," Bell says.
This means birdbaths, clogged gutters and kids' toys left outside can all become breeding sites. Risk is highest in the South, where the season runs from April to November.
Dry spells don't eliminate them, either. Mosquito eggs can survive in dried-out conditions for up to eight months and hatch at once when rain returns.
Early warning signs include:
■„ Swarms of mosquitoes gathering at dusk or near shaded areas.
■„ You find mosquito bites even when you're outside only briefly. „
â– You hear high-pitched buzzing.
When to call a pro: You know mosquitoes are around but you can't find their breeding source.
3 Ticks
Winters don't knock back tick populations the way they once did. More ticks are surviving the cold months, which means larger numbers and a wider range by the time summer hits.
"After one blood meal, a single tick can lay up to 10,000 eggs," says Stanton E. Cope, a Chicago-based entomologist and director of technical services at pest control company Rose Pest Solutions. That helps explain how quickly populations rebound each year.
Ticks transmit serious diseases, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, with the Northeast carrying the heaviest burden.
Early warning signs include: „
â– Ticks found on pets, clothing or skin after time outdoors.
„■Increased wildlife activity (deer, rodents) near your yard.
„■A tick bite leaves a the red ring indicative of Lyme's disease.
When to call a pro: If you find one tick, there are many more. Call a pro before it's too late.
4 Termites
Termites do an estimated $30 billion in damage to homes each year, making them the most expensive pest on this list. Summer is swarm season, when termites take flight on warm, humid days, often right after rain.
"Termite damage occurs over a long period of time, so homeowners don't need to freak out if they find termites," Cope says. That said, most homeowners' insurance doesn't cover termite damage, so the cost of treatment falls on you.
Early warning signs include: „
â– Discarded wings near windowsills or doors.
„■Mud tubes along foundations, walls or crawl spaces. „
â– Bubbling or peeling paint that looks like water damage.
When to call a pro: If you see swarmers (flying termites), it typically means you have an established colony.
5 Stinging insects
Stinging insects send more than 500,000 people to the emergency room every year, according to Bell. Risk peaks in late summer, when colonies are fully established and most aggressive.
Keith Hinds, vice president of operations at Modern Pest, a pest control company based in Brunswick, Maine, notes that as natural food sources shift, wasps and hornets ramp up their search for sugars and proteins. That's why they start showing up around outdoor meals, garbage cans and beverage containers around August and September.
Cope says homeowners "shouldn't attempt to remove honeybee colonies, hornet nests or yellow jacket nests."
Early warning signs include:
■„ Visible nests under eaves, in trees or underground. „
■Increased insect activity around garbage, food or drinks. „
â– Buzzing near walls, siding or attics that could mean there are hidden nests.
When to call a pro: You notice wasp activity spikes. They tend to get more aggressive as fall approaches.
6 House flies
House flies are easy to dismiss, but Bell says they're a genuine health concern. A single fly can carry more than a million bacteria and contaminate food and surfaces by landing on them. Populations build up quickly, especially in summer heat — one female can produce up to 200 eggs at a time.
"These pests breed in decaying organic matter, garbage or dead animal carcasses," Cope says.
Early warning signs include:
■„ Frequent flies indoors, especially near kitchens or trash.
„■Small dark spots (fly droppings) on surfaces.
„■Maggots near garbage bins or decaying material.
When to call a pro: If flies keep appearing after cleaning, there may be a hidden breeding source.
Keeping pests out
Pests need only food, water and shelter to survive, according to Stanton E. Cope, entomologist and director of technical services at Rose Pest Solutions. Eliminating even one of these variables can go a long way.
John Bell, southeast market technical director at Terminix, adds that most DIY pest prevention comes down to consistent habits that cost little to nothing.
Here are five inexpensive pest control methods:
1 Control moisture: Empty standing water at least once a week (birdbaths, pet bowls, plant saucers), fix dripping faucets and keep gutters clear. "A clogged gutter is one of the most common mosquito breeding sites people never think about," Bell says.
2 Seal entry points: Seal cracks with caulk or weather stripping, add door sweeps and repair torn screens.
3 Keep things clean: Wipe up crumbs and spills, store pantry items in sealed containers and take out the trash often. Move garbage cans away from your home's exterior.
4 Maintain your yard: Bell notes that vegetation touching the house provides pests with a direct bridge inside, so keep shrubs trimmed back.
5 Move firewood and mulch away from exterior walls: "Stacked against the house, they're an open invitation," Bell says.
Call a pest-control service if: „
â– Pests keep coming back after DIY treatment.
„■You see large numbers, not occasional stragglers. „
■The problem is hidden or recurring. „
■You find termites. „
■Stinging insects have nested in a wall or underground. „
■You notice rodents. „
â– You spot cockroaches or bed bugs.
