As they embark on a summer of outdoor gatherings and gardening, people are preoccupied with enjoying the good weather. But they're not alone when they head out for fresh air and evenings on the patio under strings of twinkling lights. It's also the season of pests, from the four-legged varieties to stinging insects and those that crawl on the ground.
Ants, wasps, fleas and mice are all about in summer when moist, warm air draws many of them from winter hiding places and nests formed in the spring. Some are simply annoying, while others carry bacteria and potentially dangerous diseases and, in the case of stingers, painful allergic reactions.
If there's an insect that seems to be everywhere in summer, it's the ant, labeled North America's No. 1 nuisance pest by the National Pest Management Association. While ants aren't usually associated with the spread of disease, they come out in great numbers in the summer when there's more food outdoors during barbecues and dining on decks and patios. Any spills and dropped food will be a magnet for ants. They may also make their way into homes where they can forage through food pantries and cabinets.
Ants also infest gaps in garden paths and between paving, where they find sandy conditions that allow them to flourish. From there they often invade lawns and leave large, yellow patches of dead grass. But even bigger damage comes from carpenter ants that burrow into wood structures and cause severe damage to decks, sheds and homes. To keep them from making their way into houses, homeowners should patch cracks in foundations and any leaks, because moist conditions also entice carpenter ants.
Proactive homeowners who have had dealings with summertime influxes of insect life and catch any intrusions early may be able to handle the bug population themselves. However, many people don't know what symptoms to look for, and before long, their property is overrun with one insect or another until they're faced with an infestation.
At times like these, it's best to let the experts take over. Pest control services like Abell Pest Control have been dealing with a variety of pests common to homes and businesses for years. After a thorough inspection, they lay out a treatment plan for property owners and rid the premises of the pests, then give advice on how to deal with such matters in the future.