Have you ever thought about why you love summer so much? Maybe it’s because of the summer storms or the fact that it stays daylight longer. Or maybe it’s because you don’t have school, there’s more free time to play, and it’s the best opportunity for family vacations.
Just like us, pests love summer too! But not for the same reasons. Here are the top five reasons why pests thrive during the summer months.
#1: Temperature
The summer heat brings out a unique behavior among pests. Of course, they have their limits of when it’s just too hot to handle, but they are instinctive and often know how to manage. For example, when it gets too hot for ants, they bury themselves deep in the ground and other pests seek shelter indoors. Heat causes bugs to move around a lot, especially in air-conditioned places—joining the rest of us, to our dismay.
#2: Moisture
Water is extremely essential for all creatures’ survival. Pests thrive in highly humid areas; therefore, summer is an excellent time for them to be more active. With all the summer showers and high humidity levels, pests favor this sultry climate. On the other hand, during periods of drought, pests move indoors and seek out moist areas to call home.
#3: Food sources
Most vegetation, including grass, grows more abundantly during the summer months. It likes the warm outside temperatures and the warm soil. Because of vegetation, pests have an all you can eat 24/7 before them. With their constant hunger, pests flock to these areas and will continue to populate until the food source is exhausted and gone.
#4: Life Cycle
The life cycle of pests and insects is typically quite short – some pests have a life cycle as short as 90 days! Additionally, pests are exothermic (cold-blooded), meaning they increase in activity during the summer when it’s hot and sunny outside. Take ants, for example. Their colony increases significantly in size so that they have enough bodies to populate their colony during the colder, dormant months. The life cycle of most pests is short, often causing them to thrive in the heat while they can.
#5: Daylight
Have you ever noticed that it gets lighter during the summer and darker during the winter? Pests are attracted to light! That’s why when it’s bright for 12 to 14 hours a day, pests have more time to be outside, soaking up the sun and feeding on the environment around them. Similar to how we, as humans, enjoy the outdoors, so do pests!
Ways to deal with pests during the summer
Of course, more pests mean a greater chance of getting bug bites and painful itchy spots on your body, as well as lots of indoor invaders. If you follow these prevention tips, you are less likely to be bothered by it.
- Clean your gutters.
- Prune your garden’s vegetation (especially away from your house).
- Inspect your home for cracks in the walls and floors.
- Take out your trash.
- Spray for mosquitoes.
- Schedule a service appointment with us at Vulcan Termite & Pest Control.
Contact Us!
If you have any questions, comments or concerns about your home’s pest problems, contact us. We are just a phone call away to schedule an appointment and/or save your property from further damage. Visit us website for more information.