When summer in Ontario arrives, you and your family probably look forward to all different types of outdoor fun, from swimming to picnics in the local park. However, the arrival of summer also means the frustration of dealing with different types of insect pests that may decide your yard or home makes a fine place when it comes to finding food, water and a comfortable nesting site. It can be difficult to keep insects at bay, and even more difficult to get them off a property for good. At Skedaddle Pest Control, we can help you understand the behaviour of summertime insects and offer pest control services that allow you to reclaim your backyard and evict your uninvited guests.
1. Ants
Few species of insects are as well-organized and invasive as ants. Each spring, they emerge from hibernation to make hills and dozens of underground tunnels, where they raise their larvae. Ants communicate with each other through scent trails and if one ant finds a food source in or around your home, it will leave a scent trail, which causes other ants to invade in their hundreds.
During the summer, as temperatures rise, ant colonies thrive as the queen lays eggs and worker ants bring both the queen and the larvae food. They may make several hills in your backyard or, in the case of pavement ants, alongside your driveway or under the pavement of your patio. Ants are notoriously difficult to control on your own, which is why calling us for pest removal in summer can save you both time and endless hours of spraying with hardware store insecticides, which usually only eliminate the ants you can see.
2. Spiders
While many species of spiders are beneficial and help control the insect population in your area, some breed quickly and can overrun your home and backyard. Most spider egg sacs hatch in the spring, so young spiderlings may venture into your yard or home seeking out food and a cool, dry place to make their own homes, including:
- Basements
- Outdoor sheds and garages
- Crawlspaces
- Garages
If you have gaps in any doorway threshold or holes in your summer window screens, this could allow spiders to enter your home and multiply there. While most spider species in Ontario are harmless, larger ones, such as wolf spiders, can deliver a painful bite if startled or handled. Trying to evict these larger spiders can be dangerous, so it is a wise idea to let our pest technicians handle the job instead.
3. Wasps
Few summertime pests are as invasive or aggressive as wasps. Once they choose a place to build a nest, they will defend it by swarming and using their stingers on any intruder. Unlike bees, wasps can sting repeatedly, making them a dangerous summer presence around your home.
Wasps are quite active in the summer, as this is the time when they raise young, bringing larvae different kinds of food and increasing the size of the nest. When fall arrives, all the occupants will leave the hive abandoned, but when communities go unchecked during the spring when construction of a new nest begins, a hive can contain hundreds of wasps. If they build near your child’s play areas or your garden shed, they may attack if they feel threatened.
4. Roaches
While some people associate roaches with dirty houses and garbage piles, these enterprising, hardy insects can be found almost anywhere where there is access to food and water. They can enter a home through the plumbing or through small cracks and crevices. Cockroaches are active in the summer because of the warm temperatures and forage for food. Roaches are nocturnal, so if you see more than a few around your home in the daylight hours, you may have an unseen infestation.
Unwanted insects can ruin your family’s summer fun and pose possible dangers as well, but we are ready to help. Contact us for effective, safe pest control and reclaim your summer today.
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