I don’t know if I just have a low bug tolerance, or if the bugs really are getting worse every year. Is there anything I can do now to reduce insects and other pests around my home so I can enjoy the summer this year? L. G., Woburn, MA

There are actually many things you can do to keep pests in their place. Almost all pests that end up in your home get there because they live around the foundation, or they were attracted into your yard by desirable conditions found there. If you pest-proof your home and also pest-proof the outside perimeter, it can make a big difference.

KEEPING PESTS OUT OF YOUR HOME

• Make sure windows and vents are screened.
• Check to see if door thresholds or weather-stripping need to be replaced; the garage door should get special attention (see Do Your Doors Need to Be Pest-Proofed?).
• Inspect the roofline, soffits, eaves, and chimney. Many pests enter the attic through gaps and rotting wood around the roofline.
• Walk around your home’s foundation, looking for gaps where utility lines and cables enter the structure. Caulk around these openings.
• Trim any tree branches that touch the roof; avoid ivy growing on outside walls.

KEEPING PESTS AWAY FROM YOUR FOUNDATION

• Remove or reduce mulch around the foundation since it holds in the moisture pests love and even provides food for some.
• Avoid heavy or dense ground covers or plantings directly against the house. Move them or thin them.
• Remove or move stored items next to the foundation that provide hiding places for pests: firewood piles, boards, stones, piles of lawn clippings or weeds, etc.
• Look for and empty anything that holds rainwater and breeds mosquitoes (see Spring is the Time for a Mosquito Check of Your Yard).
• Check your porch lights and other outside lighting to make sure you are using bulbs that are least attractive to flying insects (see Porch Lights Attracting Bugs? Choose a Better Bulb).
• Move bird feeders well away from the house. Use a seed catch tray and clean up spilled seed often.
• Keep garbage cans clean and tightly-covered.
• Don’t allow pet food to sit outside, especially overnight. Speaking of pets, poop in your yard attracts pests, too. Pick it up.

Colonial Pest offers a preventive perimeter treatment that will help eliminate those pests that are hiding just outside your home. We do pest-proofing, too, if you need help with the tasks above. If despite your best efforts, pests invade your life, give us a call. We’ll be there right away to save the day…and your summer!

Photo Credit : Pixabay