Pests make summer a dangerous season. Insects are more plentiful in warmer weather, and humans and pets spend more time outdoors near these bugs. Many pests are just bothersome and annoying when you're eating outdoors, while others cause harm through their venom or by transmitting disease. Here are five dangerous pests to watch for this summer and how to control them.
1. Fire Ants That Cause Painful Blisters
Fire ants are dangerous pests for kids and pets in your yard. These ants swarm when someone accidentally bothers their mound, and if your child or pet happens to disturb one of these mounds, they could be stung multiple times. The stings are painful and cause small blisters to develop. If fire ants are a known problem on your property, treat your yard for them followed by individual mound treatments. Otherwise, your children are at risk every time they go outdoors to play.
2. Mosquitoes That Transmit Disease
Few insects are more annoying than mosquitoes. They ruin your summer fun by driving you indoors as soon as the sun goes down and it's finally cool outside. The insects also transmit harmful diseases such as the Zika virus, encephalitis, and West Nile virus, and more.
Control mosquitoes on your property by clearing clutter out of your yard so water doesn't collect and provide a breeding ground. Also, trim grass and weeds that would otherwise provide shade for the insects. Have pest control treatments during the summer to reduce the number of mosquitoes on your property.
3. Ticks That Cause Bacterial Infections
Ticks endanger people and animals because they transmit bacteria that can cause several diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Ticks are a problem in the summer when grass and tall weeds provide hiding places that are damp and shady.
Control ticks by keeping grass trimmed neatly and by removing shady areas such as piles of brush and wood. Examine your family and pets after being outside near overgrown or wooded areas. Treat your pets for ticks so they don't carry the pests indoors and have pest control treatments that create a tick barrier around your yard.
4. Stinging Insects That Cause Allergic Reactions
Bees and wasps are more plentiful when the weather turns warm. These insects are beneficial and usually do not harm. However, you don't want them nesting near your house because they might sting when you disturb them. Bee and wasp stings are painful and often frightening for kids to endure. They also provoke an allergic response in some people. The reaction can be severe enough to require emergency medical care.
Food attracts stinging insects, so don't leave food uncovered when eating outdoors, and seal your trash can tight. Seal holes and cracks in your house that make enticing hiding places for the bugs to build nests. Watch for nests and hives so you can remove them before they become too large. If you don't spot a wasp nest or beehive until it's too big, then call a professional to deal with the problem so you aren't stung.
5. Spiders That Have Dangerous Bites
When there's a surge in the insect population, there are more spiders as well because there is more food for them. Most spiders are harmless, even when they bite, but two types of spiders are potentially dangerous: the widow spider and the brown recluse.
Both of these spiders hide in places where the risk of being disturbed is low, and they won't bite unless they're threatened. But since their venom is poisonous and they have the potential to cause serious harm, you don't want them around your home.
Reduce the risk of spiders by controlling the insect population in your home with regular pest control treatments. Also, clean your home regularly by vacuuming webs from the ceiling and other places that are usually undisturbed. Spiders seek solitude, so they clean unused rooms often so spiders can't find a place to hide and multiply.
Don't let dangerous pests interfere with your summer fun. For quality pest control treatments that keep bothersome insects and rodents under control in your home and yard so your family and pets stay safe, give us a call at The Original Bugman Pest Elimination, Inc. To get started, reach out and schedule an appointment today!
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