If you have a playground for your children set up in the backyard, you want to keep it as safe as possible. However, it may not be that safe if carpenter ants get into it, causing parts of the structure to erode and possibly crumble. Consider these tips to keep carpenter ants away from your child's playground.
If a playground is wooden, carpenter ants may find a way to wiggle their way into it. These pests are fans of any type of wooden structure, such as decks and porches, and playgrounds are included on the list. However, carpenter ants prefer moist wood to dry wood, as it's easier to chew through. So, they tend to come out between April and September, when the weather is warmer and wetter, according to Bright Hub. If you live in an environment prone to a lot of rain, you could be in trouble. If you aren't careful and you do have a carpenter ant problem, the whole playground structure may collapse, possibly injuring any children who are playing on it.
Follow these suggestions to keep carpenter ants off your playground.
Prevent rotten wood: One of the easiest ways to prevent this ant from coming near your yard is to take away its shelter, Washington Toxics Coalition noted. If you are considering building a playground or have just built one, make sure that you waterproof it or paint it. This method will keep the wood nice and dry, discouraging ants from coming near it. As an added bonus, your children may be less likely to get splinters as the wood won't be deteriorating.
Consider your environment: Usually carpenter ants don't see a playground and come running. Instead, there's a few things to allure them and make them feel comfortable. These include any firewood in your yard or shrubs, and trees that aren't controlled properly. Usually ants will create a nest here, and then venture out to see what other sources of wood they can invade. Keep ants away from your yard by containing or throwing away wood. Keep firewood in a part of the yard far away from your house and the swing set.
Regularly check for new development: Looking once a summer for carpenter ants won't be enough. Instead, look for this pest several times throughout their peak season. Most often, their nest will be on the outside of a structure and will be pretty visible to anyone investigating.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
