Natural Pest Control Tips

One of the most common areas of focus is the outside or exterior of the home. Pest control performed the natural way is really an easy concept. Using common sense, knowing the insects eating habits, and applying knowledge really goes along way in ridding your home of these pesky pests.  Think about it, if we can control the exterior by ensuring all areas are sealed using exclusion, or pest proofing techniques the interior would be of no concern. Bugs, no doubt come from the outside and are attracted to food and water and the cool conditions inside the home. So if we take a look around the outside of the house, we can surely find plenty of ways to keep those pesky pests from entering the structure.

Seal Cracks leading into the structure
Whether you’re experiencing an ant infestation or encountering mice or rodents, one of the best ways to put an end to this problem is to seal off the entry point. A tube of silicone goes along way in sealing those entry points for ants and common insects. Seal windows, doorways, and make sure all screens are snug fitting and in working condition. Air conditioners, water hoses, water filter systems, etc. are run from the outside to the inside of the house. Make sure these are sealed and keep lizards, ants, and smaller insects out. Door thresholds are a common problem in most homes. Check all doors.  If you can see daylight coming through the bottom of the door, that means the insects will too! Also check Garage Doors and the same principle holds true. A mouse can fit through a gap the size of a dime and a rat through a hole the size of a quarter.

Pest Control Companies will recommend the use of  steel wool to seal holes 2 inches or less and brings great results when sealing holes for rats and mice. As they gnaw on the steel wool, it gets in their intestines and really reaks havoc.

Insects, especially ants and roaches, love to hide in debris that is commonly laid or left around the immediate structure. Clean up those piles of wood, old tires and unused items that are just sitting along the outside of the structure and watch your insect problem get better overnight. Some like to use mulch around the perimeter. New Era Pest Control does not recommend mulch, as it holds moisture and houses ants, millipedes, roaches and other insects, making the pest control technicians job a much greater one.. Instead use small rocks or pebbles approximately 18 to 24 inches from the structure.

Pest Control technicians will tell you that one of the most common things we see when visiting homes are trees in direct contact the the house. If you have trees touching the structure, insects and rodents find it very easy to use that as a bridge and will follow it right into the structure via gaps/cracks on the roof or eaves.  Trim all branches approximately 2 to 3 feet away from touching the house and keep these pests off the house.

Food is one of the main things that lures those critters into your home. Make sure you clear floors and counter tops of food debris after cooking and eating. Wiping down surfaces can go a long way toward keeping your home pest free!

4. Food and Water
Remember, insects and rodents do not want to make your life miserable. They are simply looking for the basic necessities to survive. Water, food, and harborage.   If you leave food and water easily available for these pests, they will come looking for it. If they find it they will not stop until they exhaust the demand or supply. Outside, taking the harborage elements away, we now only need to limit the food and water that is left behind for our pest friends. Try to dry up all water on countertops and sinks before going to sleep. Ensure that the floors are swept nightly to make sure that those cookie crumbs you left behind are not left for the bugs to enjoy as well. Outside,  remove any standing water. Standing water is ideal for the production of Mosquitos.

It is NOT a good idea to keep garbage in the garage. As the heat builds up in the garage, so will the temperature in the garbage cans and are ideal conditions for breeding flies.

You, Be The Pro! Take a walk around the house and look for any holes, cracks or crevices that insects or rodents may use to gain access into your home. Jot them down! Either, give that list to the husband, or seal those entry points on your own, using calking, steel wool, or other sealing methods.

ANTS – Summer, means Ants, and More Ants! To reduce the ant population, taking care of the exterior foliage is just the right thing to do.  Ants, typically live outside and have survived for millions of years without human food, water and harborage. We, as humans make it easy for ants by making food and water too easily available. If ants locate a food or water source in your home, It could be a long road to eliminating these pests. Ants, depending on the species, love sweet nectar like producing plants. Typically, this is where you will find them or close to this type food source. There are other sources as well but for this example we talk about exterior foliage. Ants also adore and protect aphids, which produce a sweet nectar as a food source for the ant. The ants protect the aphids from other predators in return for the food favors. Removing the ants from the foliage on the exterior of the home, will reduce greatly the amount of ants that will continue to seek forage in your home.