Orkin Exterminator & Termite Control

Weather, temperature and landscaping affect pest activity in and around your home.

(NAPS)—Spring weather can bring rain showers and flowers, but it can also invite termites, ants and other pests to your homes and yards. Education is key to understanding how weather, temperature and landscaping affect year-round pest activity in and around your home.

According to Orkin, Inc. entomologist Ron Harrison, Ph.D., different pests become active during specific seasons.

• Spring: Spiders, ladybugs, blow flies, gnats, aphids, carpenter bees, termites, ants, clover mites, stored product pests such as Indian meal worms and others thrive in climates with sustained temperatures of 60 degrees.
• Summer: Bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, mosquitoes and fire ants are active in warmer months, as well as ticks, fleas, crickets and cockroaches.
• Fall: Rodents, beetles, box elder bugs, ants and ladybugs move indoors as temperatures drop and drier weather approaches.
• Winter: Cold weather forces rodents, pharaoh ants, German cockroaches and aphids indoors through migration or being brought in on plants, products or other items.

"As temperatures rise and fall, pest activity changes. Pests constantly seek food and shelter, so your gardens, lawns and homes become vulnerable to infestation," says Harrison.

Infestation is no longer just an annoyance. While certain pests like mosquitoes, rodents and ticks pose health threats to you, your family and pets, other pests attack plants, causing damage to leaves, stems, roots, flowers and fruit:

• Flowers/Trees/Shrubs: aphids, grasshoppers, bagworms, bud worms, cabbage worms, cucumber beetles, Japanese beetles, bumble-bees, tent caterpillars.
• Fruits/Vegetables: aphids, bean beetles, flea beetles, cucumber beetles, cutworms, fruitworms, cabbage worms, rodents, fire ants, white flies, Japanese beetles.
• Grass: clover mites, grasshoppers, mole crickets.

Harrison suggests the following tips to reduce pest activity:

• Be cautious of placing flowering plants near the deck or patio area, as many insects are attracted to the pollen and nectar produced by flowers.
• Keep plants two to three feet from your home, as many insects and rodents are attracted to leaves, flowers and fruit.
• Keep mulch at least two to three feet from your home because insects are attracted to the moisture it holds.
• Eliminate sources of standing water.
• Fit screens and tighten seals on doors and windows.
• As pest identification is key to controlling pests, hire a licensed pest-control professional to treat areas in and around your home.

For more information , or for a free inspection, visit www.Orkin.com or call 1-800-800-ORKIN.