Preparing for Late Summer Pests in Oregon and Washington

With summer in full swing, there are families making vacation plans and kids are trying to pretend that they will never have to go back to school again.

This is the time of year that people use to enjoy their backyards and their grills for backyard barbecues. While enjoying the yard and outdoors, there are insects and other pests looking to get into your home. How do you stop them?

In Oregon cities like Portland, Salem, Eugene, Medford and cities in Washington state such as Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, there are some key tips you can use to keeping the late summer pests away from your home and family.

The best way to stop them is through knowledge and prevention.

Of course, if you think you currently have a pest problem, contact the nearby pest control specialists at Western Exterminator and get them taken care of and find out how you can prevent pests from returning.

What pests are problems late in the summer?

There are quite a few pests that are a problem during this time of year. Some of them may seem obvious, but others may not so much. Some of the most common include:

• ​​​​​Stinging pests - these include bees, wasps, and hornets. For warm weather states like Arizona, this can also include scorpions or California which can bring invasions of fire ants. All of those insects prefer warm weather and they will defend their nests and they can build those close or inside homes. Since people are outdoors more often during the warmer months, members of your family might end up running into stinging pests more often, so clearing them away is crucial this time of year.
• ​​Flies - since it’s warm, the flies are coming out. They come out because they like the warmth and because people are outside, having picnics, eating outdoors, and they are more likely to throw food away. This increased amount of food then rots a lot faster in the warm weather which is the perfect environment for flies, their eggs, maggots and a fly infestation that ends up in your home.
• Mosquitoes - although California may not have quite as much of a problem with mosquitoes as some other states, the fact is that they are pests and summer is their time to thrive. Summer is when they come out most often to find mates and in order to mate and lay eggs, they need to consume a blood meal. They like to feed at dawn and dusk and this can be a problem for people making outdoor plans or plans in their own backyard.
• Ants - ants start to come out during the spring, but they stay around during the warmer summer months, too. You often see pavement ants engaging in huge battles against other ant nests on the sidewalk. Even though you may not see them indoors this late, there is no rule that says they may not come back in search of food and they might be swarming all over the yard.
• Ticks - during summer, ticks breed and climb to the tops of tall grass and start waving their forelegs around. They latch on to clothing and the fur of animals, including pets. A tick will then feed on blood and set about breeding again. Since people venture outdoors during the summer, the chance of running into ticks increases.
• Termites - subterranean termites use mud tubes because they like the warmth and will continue to seek out wood to devour well after their peak time in the spring. Just because it’s not prime termite swarming season, doesn’t mean that you won’t see signs of termites in and around your home. So keep an eye out for damage.
• Bed Bugs - you may not think about bed bugs during the summer, but the fact is that now is the time to stay on guard. Bed bugs are one of the most common pests found in hotel rooms and since so many families are traveling during the warm months, the chance of bringing home some unwanted guests is a very real possibility.
• Wildlife - birds, squirrels, raccoons, possums and other critters are out and about during this time of year. These are animals that sometimes spend time in the cooler months hibernating. As the summer gets later, animals like squirrels start to hide food for the colder months and they can end up in attics, tearing apart roofs and doing other damage to the home. There can also be increased snake activity in the warmer climates with some species sunning themselves outside in the summer.

How can you prevent pests during late summer?

Summer is still the season for vigilance when it comes to pests. Although people are tempted to relax during late July and August, now is the time to get even more vigilant about pests and it pays to know what can be done to stop them from becoming a problem since prevention is still probably the best solution.

• Remove debris - don’t put your garbage out uncovered during the hottest months, make sure you put them in containers with lids that lock securely. Getting rid of debris also means not piling up grass clippings or piling up vegetation that has been cut down (like bushes and hedges). Clean up any garbage that has been left around and that includes scraps from construction projects, too.
• Seal up the house - it makes your home more efficient since your air conditioning does not leak out of the home. However, making sure that doors and windows sealed shut and screens are intact prevents flies, mosquitoes and other insects from getting into the home. Also, check the foundation for cracks and make sure they are sealed as those can provide entry to termites and other pests.
• ​​​​​​​Remove standing water - mosquitoes cannot lay eggs unless they do so in still (standing) water. This includes ponds, bird baths and even puddles left behind by significant rainfall. Retaining ponds and stagnant parts of lakes are also prime breeding ground for them. Rain and water can pond up in toys and yard equipment left out in the yard, too, or potted plants. Taking time, particularly after heavy rains, dumping out water and removing standing water will help prevent them from coming.
• ​​​​​​​Move the wood - do not stack up wood collected for fires for either backyard fire pits or the winter next to the house. This is prime territory for termites to start their invasion and they can end up eating away the wood of your home. Move it away! Wood piles and vegetation are also prime hiding places for wildlife, wasps, bees, and some species of spider. Cut vegetation back and keep bushes and hedges trimmed.
• ​​​​​​​Keep the pet food indoors - even if you like having your pets outdoors, bring the food inside or find containers that limit access to it. Food is prime for ants and other insects to come calling and then end up inside.
• ​​​​​​​Cut the grass - make sure that grass is not too tall. Ticks use tall grass to find hosts. If you want to prevent ticks and limit mosquitoes, cutting the grass is a good way to go about doing that.

Call Western Exterminator for Solutions

Western Exterminator pest control specialists can offer advice and provide solutions that will get rid of existing pest problems and provide solutions to stop them from coming back. Since some of the pests listed above can cause serious health risks, do not take chances with pest control solutions that may not work or make the problem worse. Contact Western Exterminator today!​​​​​​​