Are the bugs outside getting to you yet?
This time of year we receive a ton of calls and emails about all the bugs around outdoor lights near doors. In some cases, it’s so bad, homeowners can’t use certain entries! We know we can’t prevent every insect from coming within 100 feet of your house, but there are some tips we wanted to share that are sure to extend the affects of our preventative service, the Healthy Home Maintenance Plan.
1. Spiders
Seeing a lot more spiders lately? Spiders are there because they’re eating other bugs. In certain seasons, spiders are capable of building these webs overnight so they may appear in between our visits. Removing these webs regularly will reduce populations of insects hanging out around the lights and overall reduce bugs outside. Our service professional removes webs at each quarterly visit. In between, a swift broom sweep could really help now and then.
To see our service professional de-webbing in action, watch this video!
2. Lighting
The color of your outdoor lights will greatly affect how attractive your home is to insects at night. Yellow-colored bulbs, or less intense lights won’t attract nearly as many flying insects as bright white or blue-toned lights. The good news is there are so many options! Many LED bulbs come in a yellowish hue now. Incandescent bulbs are naturally more of a yellow glow. It’s an inexpensive upgrade to prevent your home from being a literal bug magnet.
3. Mosquito Reduction
There’s nothing more irritating than spending a ton of money on landscaping, flowers, outdoor furniture, and a nice barbecue if you can’t spend time out there to enjoy it. Don’t let mosquitos ruin the outdoor season for you! We have a solution!
Summer pests like mosquitos will thrive in dense bushes and landscaping. But our mosquito service makes such a huge difference, especially if you like to host barbecues and entertain in your yard. Guaranteed 85% reduction in mosquito populations and we help identify breeding sites so those can also be eliminated. Easily add on to the existing maintenance program for the summer season.
Read this blog post for everything you need to know!
4. Protect Your Body
You could have citronella candles lit, fans clipped to your belt, and even a professional service for reducing mosquitos and still get bitten my mosquitos. Protecting your body is still vital for your health. West Nile Virus is just one of several mosquito-borne illnesses we find right here in the Midwest every year. And it’s brutal. Just like any other virus.
Wear protective clothing. Use repellent. And make sure you apply it correctly and regularly to prevent bites and potential health hazards. The EPA has approved multiple active ingredients in mosquito products to keep you bite-free and healthy. They’re DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus. We’re a big fan of the lemon eucalyptus option because it smells awesome and is a chemical-free mosquito repellent option.
Check out our Pinterest page for more facts and ideas about how to have a pest-free summer!
