11 Apr Preparing For Spring Nest
By the time the warmer spring months come rolling around, most people have been ready for Spring for weeks. It’s the favorite time of year for a lot of people and there are plenty of reasons why. Springtime is the time of year when the Earth takes a big inhale, waking up after a long winter.
The world comes alive – flowers bloom, color returns to the trees, and all the animals come out of hibernations. Including all those 6-legged pests that come alongside warmer weather.
What Are Common Pests To Look Out For
Seeing a few springtime insects around isn’t always a bad thing, for starters, there are a good number of animals that are important to the local ecosystem that feeds directly on insects. But if you’re seeing too many of the wrong types of insects – mainly those annoying damaging pests – you’ve got an early warning signal to get some pest preventative service done and out of the way, giving you the peace of mind to relax away the rest of your comfy spring.
The most common types of pests you’ll be seeing out here in Dallas will be ladybugs, Asian beetles, earwigs, stink bugs, silverfish, ants, and all manner of flies. They’re going to be out and about, looking for shelter and water sources and just enjoying the warmer weather – just like you’re going to be doing.
If you got ahead of the curve last year and did your fall pest prevention, you’ll be in the clear. If not, there’s still time for you to do some prep and hopefully save you from having to deal with an infestation later on.
Preventative Measures
Outside Work
- Clean up all your woodpiles and stack them away from the side of the house. Pick up all wood debris. Keep the mulch at least 15 feet away from the side of your house
- Trim away bushes and weeds from the house perimeter
- Check all door sweeps, window screens, and screen doors for tears. Keep an eye on weather stripping
- Look for any areas that could potentially host standing water. These would be things like clogged or leaking gutters, downspouts, and spigots
- Repair damages in the fascia on the roof
- Declutter your storage buildings, garage, and shed and seal any gaps or leaks
Inside Work
- Repair all pipes that are leaking, and any leaks in sinks, tubs, and toilets. If necessary, you may want to dehumidify
- Clear the clutter in storage rooms, sealing all boxes
- Deep clean your kitchen. This includes wiping down all pantry shelves and cabinets, discard old food, transfer opened boxes of food into storage bags or air-tight containers
- Pull out heavy appliances like the fridge and clean behind them
- Clean up any places with standing water or leaks
If you want a little bit more protection, you can sprinkle some ground cinnamon or cayenne pepper into the window frames to keep those crawling insects at bay.