Summer Pests to Watch Out For

Summer is here, and with the change in seasons comes changes in pest control needs. Thanks to global warming, seasonality is less common in pest control, and there are more and more insects and animals that remain a nuisance year-round. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still critters who are particularly likely to invade your property during warmer months. Find out what summer pests to watch out for from our certified experts at Hopper Termite & Pest, and remember that you can always count on us for your residential pest control needs.

The Top 5 Pests to Watch Out For This Summer

1. Mosquitoes: No pest is more commonly associated with summer than the mosquito. These blood-sucking insects thrive in warmer climates and will flock to anywhere they can find standing water. If there is any excess moisture on your property, do what you can to eliminate it, as mosquitoes use standing water to lay their eggs. And keep in mind, these insects are not only annoying, but they also carry dangerous diseases like Zika and West Nile Virus, so do not hesitate to contact Hopper Termite & Pest for mosquito control today.
2. Ants: Ants typically spend the winter hibernating, which is why you are more likely to find them ruining your picnic or invading your kitchen during the summer. Like mosquitoes, some species of ants are drawn to water, so again, try and eliminate spillage wherever you can to keep them away. These crafty insects also have powerful olfactory sensors that allow them to detect food from far away, so the best thing you can do to avoid an ant infestation is simply to keep your property clean. Make sure to put away leftovers quickly, clean up crumbs from the floor and surfaces, and keep food in sealed, airtight containers. Once these pests have found an available food source, they will just keep coming, so it is a good idea to call our exterminators for ant control if you have noticed an uptick of these pests in or around your property.
3. Fleas/Ticks: Like fleas and ticks, mosquitoes feed off the blood of other animals to survive. Unlike fleas and ticks, these parasitic insects are extremely insidious and can burrow their way into your flesh or the flesh of your animal without you even noticing at first. Both teas and flicks can transmit disease and make you and your pets extremely sick, so watch out for strange behavior in your dogs/cats, and cover your legs and arms when you go out into the woods, so you do not accidentally bring these parasites back with you.
4. Termites: While termites typically swarm in spring, summer is when they really start to get out of control. Queen termites can lay up to 30,000 eggs a day, so if you have seen even a few termites on your property, you can bet there are more close behind. These wood-eating insects cause a staggering $30 billion in property damage to American homes and businesses every year, so if you have recently noticed that your wood feels flimsy or sounds hollow, call our technicians at Hopper Termite & Pest Right away.
5. Flies: While you might be able to kill a few run-of-the-mill houseflies on your own, flies that come back again and again require professional pest control. They are particularly easy to attract in summer, since all it takes is one barbecue for them to invade. On top of this, houseflies typically come indoors during the summer to escape the heat, and because they reproduce during summer, once they have laid eggs in your house you can be dealing with a fly problem through fall. That’s why it is important to nip a potential fly problem in the bud ASAP. These insects will literally go anywhere there is food or garbage, so again, keep your property tidy, and if you are eating outside, always thoroughly clean up after yourself when you are done.

To learn more or to schedule summer pest control service with our pros at Hopper & Termite, call (870)425-4122 now, or click here to contact us online.