Are pests ruining the peace and tranquility of your well-kempt Summer backyard? From bbq-crazed hornets, to relentless ants and pesky mosquitoes, invasive pests are a sure-fire way to spoil your backyard outing and send you right back inside, disgruntled and covered in itchy welts and painful stings.
Every critter has its purpose; some of these pests are helpful pollinators, soil aerators, and a necessary evil to feed animals higher in the food chain. But, while they all have their place in the world, it certainly isn’t on your deck, patio, or back porch!
This summer, it’s time to take back your yard. No longer must you share your tri-tip with yellow jackets or your soda with ants; instead, enjoy the fruits of your labor with these 10 simple and effective tips to keep Pennsylvania bugs away from your yard!
Why Does My Yard Have So Many Bugs?
Bugs are creatures of necessity. Pests will only settle where all of their basic resources–food, shelter, and water–can be found.
Let’s begin with a food source. Carnivorous arthropods, like arachnids, will only settle in areas where they can hunt other insects. So if you readily come across spiders in PA, the odds are that your yard is crawling with other bugs.
Ants are another common backyard pest, consuming practically anything they can get their mandibles on; however, sugars tend to be a major attractant. Aphid honeydew, plant nectar, or the half-empty can of soda on your patio table will all bring these pests to your yard. If you regularly find your backyard crawling with ants, you likely have an aphid-infested garden or a full trash receptacle on your patio.
Mosquitos, no-see-ums, and other biting members of the order Diptera will only settle where other mammals are present. Since females feed on blood to collect the protein required to lay eggs, they’ll naturally gravitate to you, your family, and your pets.
Next, we’ll discuss water. Water is relatively self-explanatory, though the source could range from your decorative water feature or a leaky sprinkler head to the slow stream running through your backyard. Whether consumed or used as a breeding ground, any source of water is an invitation for pests.
Finally, we’ll discuss shelter. Like all other living things, pests require shelter for protection from the elements and predators. If your backyard is covered in shade, you’ll likely find no-see-ums, black flies, and other flying insects in droves. Dry, loose soil is excellent for constructing ant hills, and spiders, such as black widows, love dry, dimly-lit, secluded areas like wood piles, forgotten cinder blocks, and tight crevices.
With all three conditions met, your backyard will be a breeding ground for several common pests with all three conditions. So let’s discuss some ways to get rid of these pests.
10 Easy Tips To Get Rid of Pests
1. Fans, Fans, and More Fans.
This tip is primarily for the Summer bloodsuckers–the mosquitos, gnats, black flies, and no-see-ums. While it may seem arbitrary, these insects have extreme difficulty flying in heavy winds, whether natural or artificial. So placing some fans outside or even taking down natural wind covers will help eliminate these pests on windy days.
2. Plant That Herb Garden.
If you’re considering growing your own fresh herbs and spices, do yourself a favor and set them up in planters or pots on your patio or deck, rather than in your garden. Several common herbs–like coriander, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and sage–have a natural insect-repelling quality that’ll keep several nuisance pets at bay.
3. Keep Your Yard Clean and Tidy.
An unkempt yard can have a massive effect on the pest population. Tall grass can easily hide ant hills or ticks, while piles of branches or old building supplies make the perfect home for black widows and other creepy crawlies.
4. Get Rid of Standing Water.
Standing water is a breeding ground for many nuisance pests–literally. Many members of the Diptera family, including mosquitos and black flies, lay their eggs in water. Water-borne larvae soon transition to pupae and nymphs before emerging as the familiar, blood-sucking insects we all know. So when summer comes around, find ways to eliminate standing water, such as emptying wheelbarrows or bird baths.
5. Swap Out Your Exterior Lighting.
Most insects are positively phototactic, meaning they’re attracted to specific light sources. Generally, the higher the UV radiation, the more insects are attracted. For this reason, experts have found that swapping cool-toned white lights for warm-toned, yellow/orange bulbs does an excellent job of warding off insects.
6. Light Up A Citronella Candle.
Citronella oil has been used for years to ward off insects. Besides producing an odor that most insects can’t stand, citronella also masks the lactic acid and carbon dioxide that humans naturally produce to keep bugs at bay.
7. Build a Bat Box.
This is one of the more unconventional methods of pest control on this list, but also highly effective. Bats are nature’s pest control experts, with most consuming a diet primarily made up of flying insects. Each evening, a single bat can consume up to 1,000 insects–that’s 1,000 flies, mosquitos, and gnats that won’t be buzzing around your patio. If you can tolerate sharing your backyard with these flying mammals, you’ll notice a massive reduction in pests.
8. Plant Insect-Repelling Plants.
Plants such as marigolds, lavender, and chrysanthemum are all excellent pest-repellants, and a great way to add some color to your backyard!
9. Invite Birds.
Birds are excellent natural exterminators, consuming a diet of berries, seeds, and–you guessed it– insects. By hanging bird feeders and planting twiggy shrubs, you’ll significantly increase your bird population and decrease the presence of pests.
10. Professional Pest Control.
If all else fails, your local pest experts are here to help.
We offer a wide variety of pest services, including three tiers of 365-day protection against forty different insects and rodents. For just over a dollar a day, all packages, whether basic, premier or plus, offer year-long protection with scheduled visits every four months, ensuring that your home is free from pests and protected against future infestations. Contact us below to get your yard back under control.
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