Looking for Summer Pest Control advice? Warm summer months also bring all kinds of pests, as many insects take advantage of the weather to rapidly reproduce and even start new nests and colonies.

Summer is here, which means random beach trips, family picnics in the park, or weekend brunches. Summer is synonymous with carefree, warm, and fun days. However, the hot climate also brings about some things that are not exactly invited – pests.  As summer comes in full swing, you will see the sudden increase in the number of unwanted pests around. 

Pests, such as spiders and mosquitoes, usually hibernate during the winter, come out in the springtime, then reproduce rather aggressively so that by the summertime, the population has already gone through phenomenal growth. The warm temperature signals that it is the time for them to look for a mate and reproduce.

Needless to say. the presence of these pests can be extremely annoying, but more than that, it can also pose a threat to your health and well-being.

What Are Some of the Most Common Pests During The Summer?

• Ants
• Cockroaches
• Mosquitoes
• Rodents (i.e. rats and mice)
• Spiders
• Termites
• Wasps

Ants

There are trillions of ants right under our feet. And for every ant you see, there are probably nine more hidden away nearby.

They are the most common pests in households. Ants not only come marching into homes. They also can be found just as easily in restaurants, hospitals, offices, warehouses, and other buildings where they can find food and water.

If you really think about it, ants are fine for as long as they stay outdoors, out of our homes. In fact, they’re even beneficial as they feed on fleas, termites, and other garden pests.

Read more about our pest control tips for ants here.

Cockroaches

Quite possibly one of the most disgusting pests known to man, cockroaches are known to inhabit in filthy environments and emit an offensive odor.

Of the 4000 species of cockroaches, only a few are considered pests as they invade, inhabit, and (quite possibly) infest human dwellings.

In the United States, the two most common cockroach pest species are the American cockroach and the German cockroach.

• The reddish-brown American cockroach seems to be strongly attracted to alcoholic beverages– stale beer, in particular. When outdoors, they prefer garbage heaps and mulch. When indoors, this variety of cockroach favors dark, warm, and moist areas like basements, bathrooms, drainages, laundry rooms, and other crawl spaces.
• The slightly smaller, light brown German cockroaches have wings but rarely fly. These are associated in particular with restaurants, food processing facilities, hotels, nursing homes, and other institutions. When excited or frightened, German cockroaches are known to emit a foul odor.

The World Health Organization points out that cockroaches can sometimes play a role as carriers of intestinal diseases and illness-causing pathogens like E. coli and salmonella.

As cockroaches are more commonly found in and around areas where waste is disposed of, these pests can carry serious diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid fever, and cholera, among others.

Read more on our pest control tips on cockroaches here.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are ubiquitous little pests but particularly thrive in moist, wet, and humid areas.

Experts consider mosquitoes to be some of the deadliest animals on the planet. Sure, the bites are more of a nuisance than anything else. But it’s the diseases that come with those bites that are most worrisome.

The biggest danger posed by mosquitoes is that they are effective vectors of spreading some of the world’s deadliest diseases. Mosquitoes are responsible for more human deaths than any other animal that in 2015 alone, it has caused 438,000 deaths – and that’s just for malaria.

Three species are the main culprit in the spread of human diseases:

• Anopheles mosquitoes are the only species known to carry malaria. However, they can also transmit filariasis (also called elephantiasis) and encephalitis.
• In addition to filariasis and encephalitis, Culex mosquitoes can also carry the West Nile virus.
• Aedes mosquitoes can transmit encephalitis as well but are more notorious for spreading yellow fever and dengue, as well as chikungunya and Zika viruses.

Read more about our pest control tips on mosquitoes here.

Rodents

Rodents are a broad category of small, furry mammals, and a lot of them can be considered as pests.

In California, many of these rodents live in the wilderness, integrating naturally into the local ecosystem. Others, like guinea pigs and hamsters, are kept as house pets.

And then you have the more bothersome rodents: those living near urban areas or farms, making pests of themselves by sneaking into our food supplies, damaging lawns and gardens, and in some really serious cases, infesting homes and other buildings.

For the typical California household, the most common rodent pests would include:

• Mice; specifically, the common house mouse. But voles (meadow mice) and deer mice also fall in this category.
• Rats; specifically, the Norway rat and the roof rat
• Other garden rodents like gophers, groundhogs, and squirrels, and maybe even the occasional badger

Both rats and mice can cause some serious damage to your house, usually gnawing on various structures, wires, and cables in your home that might lead to fire hazards.

Read more about our pest control tips on rodents here.

Spiders

Pest control for spiders typically involves controlling their food sources in and around the house. Control their food source, and you control the spiders.

As spiders eat other insects, an infestation of spiders at home means you likely have a whole community of bugs as well.

There are 3,000 species of spiders in North America, but there are only 6 kinds of spiders commonly found in California homes. And of these six, only three types of spiders are considered dangerous by pest control experts:

• The black widow spider
• The brown recluse
• And the tarantula

Read more about our pest control tips on spiders here.

Termites

When someone says “termite”, you almost always think of white ants that ravenously eat wood. While termites aren’t ants, they do eat a lot of wood– dead cellulose, in fact. The more common pest varieties of termites do significant damage to untreated buildings and other wooden structures, such as furniture and dead trees.

Termites have insatiable appetites. They not only consume wood, but they can also chew on flooring and even eat wallpaper. They eat non-stop, gorging themselves on available food sources 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In the United States, termite infestations can cause more than $5 billion in property damage each year, says the National Pest Management Association. And many homeowners’ insurance policies don’t even cover termite damage.

Read more about our pest control tips for termites here.

Wasps

Wasps are particularly troublesome because they can get really aggressive and territorial. If you (or a pet) would haplessly wander too close to a wasp nest, these flying critters will attack relentlessly to keep you away!

A wasp queen can start with a small paper nest to house their young. But once summer comes rolling in, that small nest can quickly grow to become a thriving complex of extended relatives!

You’ll find these colonies around the exterior of your home, or sometimes in sheds and garages, where piles of junk go undisturbed for months.

Summer Pest Control Tips

Below are our top tips on how you can control summer pests and how you can prevent their presence from getting out of hand!

1. Keep your house squeaky clean!

It is a given that a dirty house attracts pests. A kitchen that is full of crumbs and whatnots is a haven for these pests. Make sure that you clean after yourself whenever you prepare and cook something. Or else, trails of food will surely call the attention of rats, ants, and more.

2. Do not leave standing water.

Standing water is a breeding ground for some pests. It is where they lay and keep their eggs until they are ready to hatch. Get rid of old tires and other furniture that store water. If you see standing water, empty it immediately. Check your AC units, garage, and roof for stuck rainwater as well.

3. Fill in the gaps.

The best way of controlling pests is never having them in the first place. Keep your house pest-free by preventing them from entering your house. Find holes through which they may enter. Fill them up. Repair crevices and cracks on your walls. Make sure your windows are closing properly.

4. Avoid keeping spoiled food in your garbage bins for too long.

Ants, and maggots have the ability to sense when there is spoiled food around. Get rid of it as soon as possible. Do not let it sit on your garbage for more than a day or two. If you do not have a choice, make sure that it is placed inside a sealed container.

5. Have a trusted pest control service on your speed dial.

A trusted pest control service you can contact anytime offers you peace of mind. While you can attempt some home remedies such as those above, experts are called such for a reason. Experts make sure there is no corner in your house that is exposed to these annoying pests. If you are experiencing any trouble in maintaining your home free from pests, call a professional right away.

Rocklin Pest Control is your partner in this matter. We are the trusted experts in Rocklin, California, who have been in the business for over 13 years. We provide top-notch service and nothing less. You may request a quote by calling us at (916) 250-0008 or (916) 975-2511. Get in touch with us today!