Spring has sprung, and that means certain seasonal little pests are coming out of hiding. Some of the most notorious springtime insects are stink bugs, ticks, mosquitoes and moths. These critters can greatly impact the comfort of your home and yard. Below, we will offer some money-saving tips and tricks to ward off these unwelcome seasonal spring guests.
Before getting into specific tips, it is good to understand more about the issues these pests can create. Stink bugs in particular can make living in your home extremely unpleasant. If a stink bug feels threatened or is squashed, it will release an odor that is extremely unpleasant. The odor is typically strong and will cling to any surface from walls to rugs to tile. Stink bugs, along with many other spring insects, feed on the soft tissue of plants which stunts the plant’s growth and inflicts damage to future growth. Moths are another type of insect that often show up during springtime and leave their share of damage. If moths gain access to indoor spaces, they eat through fabric textiles such as wool and cotton clothing and upholstery.
This can get expensive if you end up needing to replace items in your wardrobe and buy new furniture. Moths also tend to invade pantry areas, eating through foods such as cereals and grains. Ticks and mosquitos both carry diseases and can pose a threat to humans and pets. While these insects are just a couple of the many that can be pesky invaders during the springtime, the steps we are going to walk you through will be useful for keeping nearly any type of insect out of your home.
1. Using Granular Insecticides
The use of granular insecticides is an extremely effective tool in eliminating pesky insects from your home and yard. Insecticide granules are a toxic substance used to kill insects outdoors. Application is easy when you use a spreader, or you can spread the granules by hand if you do not own one and don’t want to invest in a granular spreading tool. Granules are sold in 5 or 10-pound bags. Each application of granular insecticide uses around 1-3 pounds of insecticide and should last about 60 days. The use of granular insecticides is a money-saving and time-efficient way to keep bugs from coming inside your home.
2. Spring Cleaning
Having a clean home and yard will make your spaces less attractive to uninvited insects. Beginning with your home, work on clearing any clutter to eliminate hiding places where clusters of bugs may gather. It is also important to ensure you have a clean kitchen and pantry. Make sure to wipe down all shelves and cabinets, ridding them of any crumbs. Removing easy access to sources of food in your kitchen and pantry will force insects to look elsewhere.
In addition to having a clean home, you also want to clean up your yard. You will want to rid of any excess dead plant material in your yard and gutters and trim your grass and plants to eliminate shelter for these many insect species. Eliminating pools of standing water will also help to remove areas where mosquitoes tend to breed. Removing these breeding grounds will force mosquitos and other bugs to move to other areas.
3. Seal Any Entry Points
Many insects have the uncanny ability to sneak through the smallest entry points to gain access into your home. Ensuring that any door cracks, torn screens, and vents are sealed will certainly help in your efforts to prevent spring insects from entering your home. The smallest crack or hole in your home foundation or window screen is like a bright “come in!” sign to insects, so it is extremely important to remove any warm welcome signs by sealing off any entry points.
4. Use of Natural Remedies
You can also turn to natural scents to assist in preventing insects from entering your home. Using essential oils is one tool you can use to close off potential entry points. Mix mint essential oil with water and spray at entry points such as windowsills. Many insects also will shy away from scents such as garlic and coffee. While we may love the smells of these things, most spring insects do not. You can spray potential entry points with a garlic mixture or leave a few coffee grounds around garden beds near the house to help prevent these pests from coming inside your home.
Getting started
All in all, taking these few simple steps are key to successfully keeping your home bug free. These steps not only take a very limited investment of time, but they will also be good money savers in the short and long term. Don’t be afraid to get to work and get your hands dirty to have a squeaky clean, bug-free home for spring!