Though
summer is a beautiful time in Western New York, it tends to bring out the pests
of the world. I don’t mean kids who are bored, but rather the bugs, birds, bats
and rodents that invade our homes. This time, we’re tackling the insect group.
There are a lot, and not all will be covered. The most commonly harmful to your
structure and your health are listed below.
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| Carpenter Ant |
Carpenter
ants serve a real purpose in nature, speeding up decomposing wood and eating
other insects. In your house, they use their large jaws to eat any wood they
can find, decomposing, fresh or otherwise. Unfortunately, regular ant traps are
not useful in getting rid of these pests. Since they prefer damp wood, find and
fix any roofing leaks that may be causing damp wood and any direct soil to wood
contact. Make sure that tree branches are trimmed back from your house and
cracks in the foundation are sealed. Finally, stack any firewood a safe
distance from your home. Depending on the severity of the infestation, you may
also need to call a professional exterminator in to fully rid yourself of the problem.
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| Yellow Jacket |
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| Bee |
Bees,
wasps, and hornets do a lot of good in nature, just like the carpenter ants.
They help pollinate the beautiful parks and gardens in our lives. However, as
anyone who has ever been stung will know, they can also be a big problem,
especially for those who are allergic or have small children and pets. In
general, bees and the like only present a stinging threat when disturbed or
threatened. Yellow-jackets are drawn by the smells of sweet things, like picnic
foods. There are no “safe chemicals” (are there ever?) to use against these
pests. Like with the ants, your first defense is to seal any cracks or leaks.
Next, be careful when working outside near nests or when opening your attic or hollow
walls in your home. Finally, use lids on outdoor foods and drinks.
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| Bed Bug |
Bed bugs are small, flat and brown
and very dangerous. They have been known to be in mostly hotels, motels, and
the like but in recent years have been spreading to private homes and
apartments. These bugs are likely to hide in unseen places, come out and bite
you in the night. They feed for about 10 minutes, then go back to their hiding
places. These bugs can go for months without feeding and survive. They are
known to also feed on birds, bats, and rodents. The first step to ridding
yourself of these pests is to make sure you don’t have other wildlife pests.
Next, when traveling, look for evidence of bed bugs. Check under mattresses,
between sheets, behind beds, etc. Also check your clothes and luggage before
leaving the hotel to make sure no stowaways have gotten into your
belongings. If you have an infestation
in your personal mattress, you will need to throw the infected mattress away
and call the professionals in.
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| Flea |
Fleas
are small, flat insects, usually brown or black that feed on wildlife. They
will also feed on our beloved Fluffy and Scruffy. They will bite humans as
well, but they cannot complete their life cycle on us. They prefer warm and
moist places, making hot animals their preferred place to thrive. In order to
get rid of these insects, you will need to make sure Fluffy and Scruffy get to
the vet and get started on a flea treatment immediately. Make sure you vacuum
your carpets, upholstery and curtains frequently. If you still cannot rid your
house of them, insect bombs can be a cheap solution, but require a lot of prep
work and leaving your house empty of all creatures for four hours. Check
yourself when you come in from the outdoors to make sure no insects have attached
themselves to you, including fleas.
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| German Cockroach |
Cockroaches are usually fodder for
funny movies about aliens and jokes about how they can survive a nuclear bomb.
In reality, these gross insects come in four common varieties, with the most
prevalent here in Western New York being the German Cockroach. They grow to be
about 5/8” long and are brown with two streaks down their backs. Roaches live
about 200 days, so a serious infestation can crop up in no time. Cockroaches
stick within a five foot area of their food and water sources, so you need to
seal all food in containers and take away Fluffy’s and Scruffy’s dishes at
night. Taking the garbage out each night is also a good idea. Letting piles of
paper accumulate will also provide a food source for these guys, so take care
of your recycling. Again, make sure you have no leaks in your pipes, floors,
etc. to provide a moist home for these roaches. Using fly screens on all doors
and windows and weather stripping around the house can also prevent unwanted
house guests.
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| Mosquito |
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| Deer Tick |
The
outdoors become another room of our house in the warm weather. Take precautions
against outside insects as well. Make sure to wear bug spray and long, loose
fitting clothing when you’re outdoors at night to keep the mosquitoes from
making you their next buffet. When you come in from outside, check to make sure
no ticks have attached themselves to your skin. Both of these insects can infect
you with potentially deadly or life-altering diseases like malaria and Lyme
disease. Spiders are another pest in the wild that make their way into our
homes. Ignore the old adage of making it rain when a spider is killed and kill
them when you can. Some spider bites can cause rashes and even be poisonous.
--Much
information taken from WNY Pest Control Services.
