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Pest Control Tips & Tricks

ByErica Brister

The Firewood Stays Outside 

Carpenter ants and beetles have a good chance of nestling into your firewood piles – dry or wet. If your firewood pile is inside or close to your door, it is much easier for these pests to invite themselves into your home. Avoid this pest risk by keeping your firewood at a safe distance from your home, and make sure to brush off or shake your wood pieces before you take it inside. Pest control tips.

Keep your gutters clean

Full, dirty gutters are ideal homes for many types of pests. Leaving the rotting leaves in your gutter for extended periods of time means you are much more likely to have a pest problem. Also, make sure the water is being channeled away from your building appropriately and not getting clogged anywhere near your home.

Turn your flood lights off

Mosquitos, as well as many other types of flying pests, love light. Keeping your flood lights on not only attracts those pests, but also attracts the spiders who look to prey on these types of air-borne insects.

Don’t let old water gather!

treebranch2 pest control tips Pests LOVE sitting water. Bird baths, low-lying areas of the yard, rain barrels and pet water dishes are all great places for bugs to gather by. Removing as many of these as you can or at least keeping the water fresh will help minimize pest retention.

Trim those trees

A great way to prevent ants from getting into your home is to trim your trees so that no branches or leaves touch your home. Also, keeping shrubbery or decorative landscaping about 10 ft from your home will help reduce the chance of ants getting into your home.

Wear pants in the forest

Ticks will typically live in high grassy fields or in forests, so when you are planning for an adventure, make sure you plan for pants. You probably won’t feel a tick when they get on your skin, so it’s important to check exposed and unexposed areas for ticks as soon as you can following your outdoor adventure. Aside from just the bugs, it’s good practice to wear pants in high grassy fields or forests for a variety of other reasons, including poisonous leaves and thorns.

Ventilate Moist or Damp areas 

Whether you are opening windows on a sunny day or plugging in a fan, ventilating the moist and damp areas of your home is very important. Bugs (not to mention mold) thrive in damp areas and is a disaster waiting to happen.

Get Rid of the Garbage! 

Dispose of your garbage regularly and store it in sealed containers.

Keep the Food Sealed 

Be sure your employees keep food sealed and stored properly. It is especially important to leave temperature sensitive dishes (like meat and dairy) in the fridge as they will go bad quickly and attract more bugs.

Office Clean Up

In the office, be sure to clean the high traffic areas everyday, such as break rooms and kitchenettes because crumbs and trash are more likely to attract pests.

 

Pest Control Tips & Tricks

Erica Brister is President & CEO of U.S. Pest Protection, a family- and female-owned company that has protected Middle Tennessee homes and businesses since 1985. She was appointed to the Tennessee Pest Control Advisory Board, and she leads a company built on a simple idea: pest control is a people business. Under her leadership, U.S. Pest's state-certified Pest Pros, who average more than seven years with the company, back every service with the Whatever It Takes Guarantee. Erica writes about the pests Tennessee families and businesses actually face, and the practical steps that keep them out.

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