Ah, summer! To many of us, the best season of the year; when the sun comes to life, Hollywood brings out the blockbusters, and the beach becomes the premier destination. This is the season for fun outdoors.
Unfortunately, summer is also insect season. The heat definitely brings the pest out. It is also a time when pest control companies make a killing because, well, it is insect season. If you have fallen victim to some of these summer pests, you may want to have the professional exterminators help you out. Of course, you would not want to have just any professional pest control expert, you want the best pest control management in North and South Carolina. Go-Forth Home Services answers your need for the best!
Why Are Insects Active During The Warmer Months?
There is always an increase in insect activity every summer. The reason for this is a mix of increasing temperatures, food availability, and winter rainfall. Insects are cold-blooded creatures, or that their body temperature depends on the environment. That is why an increase in temperature during the summer season sees an increase in the presence of insects that are visible to us.
After winter, many of these insects emerge from their resting phase. This happens during the spring and summer when they begin their winged adult life. They are hungry and looking to mate.
The rain from the previous months also has a lot to do with the increase in the insect population. Rain helps plants grow, which in turn is a food source for aphids. Where there are plants, there are plenty more aphids. Aphids then produce honeydew, which is a sweet substance. Insects are attracted to honeydew as a source of food, thus increases the insect population come summertime.
So you see, it is not just us humans who enjoy summer; even insects do, because why wouldn’t they?
Insects You May Encounter This Season
While summer is usually associated with fun and excitement, as it coincides with vacation, these pests will be very busy. No, they would not be taking time off for the summer holidays. Instead, they will be with you, on YOUR holidays. It is therefore important for you to know how to identify each insect and the risks posed by them. Below is a rogue's gallery of summer pests.
Mosquitoes
If there is a public enemy number 1 for all insects, then they are it. Actually, that is an understatement. Mosquitoes are the deadliest creatures on earth, bar none. Mosquitoes are small insects. They measure only around .125 to .75 cm. They have a pair of wings but are clumsy and slow fliers. Even though mosquitoes are known to suck human blood, it is only the female adults that actually do so. This is because the males are not equipped with the necessary mouthparts to do so. The females have two tubes in their mouths, one is for secreting enzymes that would prevent blood clotting, and the other tube is to suck blood. The males feed on nectar. They do not have a clear vision and rely on scent to guide them to their next hosts. They use the carbon dioxide emitted by the host to home in on them. They also use scent to get to their hosts.
So why is it that they are considered dangerous? They do not just bite and bring you red, itchy marks on your skin. Mosquitoes bring several diseases to humans. Among the diseases they spread are malaria, yellow fever, dengue, West Nile Fever, and Zika virus.
Mosquitoes breed in standing water, so it is best that you remove things around your house that can hold water for a long time. Remove old cans, old tires, unused plastic containers, old gutters, and abandoned birdbaths.
When going out, use a mosquito repellent. Choose one with the active ingredient DEET for added protection. The repellent should also be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to minimize exposed skin that the mosquitoes can bite. Inside your bedroom, use mosquito nets. Mosquitoes love to hang out in bedrooms too, where they can suck blood while you sleep.
Ants
We all have heard about how ants work hard so they could save for the rainy days. They do all the hard work during the summer, of course. A single and does not do much damage, and can easily be tolerated, but once they swarm inside your house and attack your food, they become such a nuisance. And you wonder why they seem to have this endless line from their nests to the food. There are actually 10,000 species of ants all over the world. They form colonies that range in size from a few dozen individuals to a highly organized colony consisting of millions of ants. Each colony consists of one queen, plenty of fertile males, and a lot more worker ants. It is the job of the queen to lay as many eggs as possible to ensure the survival of her colony. The male ants' only role in the colony is to mate with the queen. The ant workers are the sterile female wingless ants. They are the ones who feed the colony by looking for food; they care for the young; care for the young; they clean the nest; they protect the colony and sometimes attack other colonies.
Ants become pests when they invade our house where they look for food. Their favorites are sweet foods, but they can eat just about any food available. Aside from that, there are some species of ants that are capable of doing more structural damages to a house than termites can.
As a control measure, caulk cracks and crevices to make it impossible for the ants to get in your house. These small openings are usually their entry points. Put your food inside sealed containers to reduce their food source. And clean up after eating, remove food and drink spills off the table.
Flies
House flies are the major carrier of diseases. Their size ranges from 4 to 7.5 mm long. They are usually gray in color with four dark lines in the thorax. They are indoor and outdoor pests. Perhaps, only cockroaches can match the filthiness of flies.
They feed on animal feces, rotting food, body excretions, garbage, and dead animals. Because of this eating behavior, they carry with them bacteria and viruses. But they also like fresh foods. When they crawl on our food, they transmit diseases. The bacteria and viruses they carry can cause diseases like diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and food poisoning.
To get rid of flies, everything starts with sanitation. Put your food inside sealed containers to keep the flies off from crawling on them. Cover your trash cans and garbage bins. Always dispose of your garbage regularly. Be ready with a fly swatter too. Outdoors, clean around your house. Flies are also attracted to animal feces, so clean up after your pets.
Wasp/Hornet
A hornet is an inch long, dark in color with white, cream, or yellow markings on the abdomen, thorax, and face. A wasp hornet is known to be a highly aggressive type of wasp. They attack even without provocation. You might encounter one outdoors, so be careful when you are around them because their stings are painful. They make paper-like nests out of chewed wood and their saliva. Their nests are large and are usually found in wooded areas and are hanging on tree branches. Other places you may find their nests are at the side of houses and utility poles.
Wasps and bees are attracted to sweet scents. Do not wear sweet-smelling perfume. These wasps are also fond of sugary sodas. Avoid drinking sodas in a can when outdoors, and instead, transfer the contents in a glass. Wasps are known to jump into soda cans because of their content. At least, in a glass, you can see them. If you are finding it hard to contain these summer pests, then do not worry, you have the best pest control management in North Carolina within reach.
Go-Forth Is Simply The Best
Go-Forth Home Services is a family-owned commercial service solutions provider of modern pest control services and techniques, using the latest and most advanced technology in the business, making our service to you more efficient, safer, and more convenient. We have a team of expert professionals who can provide the best pest control services to residents and business establishments all throughout North and South Carolina.
We bring in a new and fresh approach to the pest control industry, using family-friendly and pet-friendly methods of extermination that caters to your specific needs. Our expert experience in exterminating pests like cockroaches, wasps, weevils, mosquitoes, mice, flies, termites, ants, and spiders can really make you say goodbye to these pests in your home. You may check us on Facebook or Google us to see what our satisfied customers have to say about us.
Go-Forth Home Services has earned the trust of residents and businesses in North Carolina for more than 50 years. For more information, or to set an appointment, just dial (877) 274-1475. Our friendly operators are standing by.