Summer Pests: 4 tips to prevent an infestation

With higher temperatures and an abundance of food, summer provides the ideal breeding conditions for a variety of pests. Alongside the year-round problem of cockroaches, mice, and rats, the summer months are a fertile period for wasps, flies, and ants. If left unchecked, all can rapidly multiply and present a serious threat to your health and safety. To reduce the chance of an outbreak, make sure to follow these 4 tips on summer pest control. 

Keeps bins covered and sealed 

This goes for every season but is especially important during the summer. With warmer temperatures, food waste breaks down faster and attracts unwanted pests. Whilst any food waste can attract pests, anything with high sugar content proves particularly alluring – molding fruit is a magnet for ants and wasps. Make sure to properly dispose of food waste, putting it into covered and sealed rubbish bins. 

Get rid of standing water 

Mosquitoes lay eggs on the surface of standing water during the summer, which can hatch in a matter of days. Although they’re not known to transmit disease in the UK (unlike other areas of the world), they can still be a significant source of irritation. To prevent an outbreak of mosquitoes in your garden, get rid of all standing water. Empty any buckets, watering cans, or other containers that are holding water. 

There are also a few measures you can take to ward mosquitos off of your pond. Moving water (from fountains) or floating plants help to prevent female mosquitoes from laying eggs on the surface, whilst certain breeds of fish (guppies or killifish, for instance) feed on their larvae. 

Block entryways 

Again, this tip holds true for every season but is particularly important during summer. Whilst pests try to come inside during the winter months to seek warmth and shelter, during the summer they’re looking for cool and shade. To prevent them from entering your property, all access points should be effectively barred. This means sealing up any gaps in walls or roofs (with silicon-based sealant), and proofing gutters and ventilation bricks. Not only will this help to hinder perennial pests such as rats and mice, but will also prevent summer-loving nuisance insects like wasps and flies from nesting inside your home. 

But this is especially important in farms with buildings holding livestock or grain. If rodents manage to get in, they can have access to a virtually unlimited supply of food.

Maintain your garden 

Keeping the outside of your property maintained is just as important (if not more so) than taking care of the inside. Whilst we wouldn’t recommend turning your garden into a sterile wasteland, we would advise taking some simple steps to prevent specific problem pests from invading your outdoor space. Keeping your lawns, flowerbeds, and bushes neat and tidy will go some way to keeping pests at bay, as will planting specific pest-repelling plants; lavender, for example, is effective at repelling moths, fleas, and mosquitoes. 

The common clothe moth is typically more prevalent in summer, but it is not a seasonal pest. The CCM are simply is less active in winter time though they can fly in through the door or windows. Whatever summer pest you’re dealing with, get in contact with Inoculand. Operating in London and the South East, our expert pest controllers will be able to assess the problem and implement fast, effective measures to rid your property of unwanted guests.