As we slowly transition from this cold winter into a warmer spring, bug activity around the house will also begin to rise. Warm weather revives bugs that have been dormant, or otherwise inactive, and homeowners will begin the pest control process all over again.
If you have maintained a year-round pest control service, then you are steps ahead of your neighbors, but there always remains a chance you will see an increase in activity along with the rest of them. If you do have service, then sit tight and wait to see what kind of activity develops. Your pest control operators regularly scheduled service should provide you with sufficient protection.
If you do not have regular service, then here are a few things you should remember as temperatures continue to rise.
Most insects are just like the rest of us – they don’t like being cold. When temperatures drop significantly over the winter months, many bugs go inactive to some degree. Scorpions, for example, actually hybernate during the winter months. It has been our experience that they will continue snoozing until the daily low stays above 70 degrees. Once temperatures reach that point, they will wake up and immediately look for food to begin the mating process. A typical gestation period of an Arizona Bark Scorpion is about 2 months, so residents typically see a boom right in the middle of summer, then work hard the next few months to bring it under control.
Weather you plan on purchasing professional pest control or not, when temperatures begin to rise, we recommend cleaning crawl spaces in and around the house. Inspect areas that may have gone undisturbed over the past several weeks or months, including stacks of boxes or yard tool bins. Pool owners mostly likely have not swam very much before that, so inspect any areas that you keep pool toys or other equipment.
The foundation of the house is a common entry point for scorpions, crickets and roaches. In Arizona, for example, the base of the home is built by what is called a J-rail, and creates an opening from the outside walls into the inner-wall space. As long as you have not swept or powerwashed the area lately, keep an eye out for small, dark insect droppings. Roach droppings will be appear in a concentrated fashion, as opposed to a sporatic, even pattern.
The key to preparing for the oncoming bug season is to understand how they operate. If you think you are prone to pest problems, then proper inspection and cleaning of all high-risk areas around the house will help you notice a potential problems before it becomes disaster down the road.
Steve Bitter is a Marketing Manager with Bulwark Exterminating, based in Mesa, AZ. Bulwark Exterminating is an industry leader in providing high quality pest control service. Bulwark is fully operational in seven states, including eleven major cities. While Bulwark provides pest extermination for common insects such as ants, roaches, crickets and spiders, the company’s differentiating specialty is scorpion control. Bulwark uses the finest and most effective products in the world to solve common pest problems.
