Summer in the city means more than warm weather and long day — a whole host of pests are common in Chicago during the summer months. Prepare yourself for the summer and the pests that come with it; preventing pests — big and small — in the first place is far easier than coping with an infestation.
Reduce your risk of infestation with a few basic tips and tricks.
Get Rid of Roaches
With cockroaches, call a professional. A single sighting of a roach can turn to a full-blown infestation in no time, especially if your home has a lot of clutter laying around. Clean up your home to deter roaches, and call an exterminator immediately. This is not the time to go it alone.
Force Fleas to Flee
Fleas live where a host exists, such as a dog or cat. A human is not a normal host for fleas, though once a home is infested, the fleas will bite and irritate the humans in the house.
Treat your pets with a flea preventative, such as the oral or the on the pet kind veterinarians prescribe, and the fleas will eventually subside and die off. Treat your pets for fleas and ticks during the summer especially, as this is the prime season for contracting Lyme disease and heartworm, both potentially lethal illnesses.
Alienate Ants
Ants could inhabit your porches, patios, and decks — and you may not realize it. Some ants build nests or hills in dry, aerated earth, typically near your home’s foundation or other structures on the property, some take root in the structure itself. Use ant bait stations outside to reduce the number of ants while keeping children and pets safe from harmful chemicals. Use a hose to wash your trashcans, paved surfaces, or paths periodically to prevent ants from creating nests.
Say Bye to Bedbugs
Do you put yourself at risk for bedbugs? If summertime to you means rummage sales and thrift stores, you could bring pesky bedbugs to your Chicago home. Bedbugs like warm, small crevices, including inside furniture, apparel, and even electronics. Avoid bringing in secondhand furnishings, and wash anything that you bring home and then use a hot dry cycle the moment it comes into your home.
Remove Rodents
You may find that you have a rodent issue during the summer. Hot dry weather can cause them to relocate as can rainy and wet weather. Rats and mice tend to move inside during these conditions, and in the city, this may mean your home.
Do not allow them to get comfortable. Keep food and trash covered and clean. Plug any entryways that could provide access, such as gaps around doors, window gaps, or holes in the wall. Using wads of steel wool serves as deterrent inside but copper wool is needed on the outside.
Make Mosquitoes Move
Mosquitoes thrive in the summer heat and humidity, making them a common pest in Chicago. If you have standing water that got left behind, you can easily have a mosquito infestation on your hands. Invest in a fan, invite birds to your property, and plant lemongrass to make the environment less appealing to mosquitoes.
Regardless of the type of pest, time is of the essence. The longer pests thrive, prosper, and breed, the worse your infestation issue is. Act at the first sign of a problem, and call a professional exterminator quickly.
Spending the summer in the city? Be on the watch for signs of these pests, and know what you need to do to prevent an infestation. While prevention is easier than dealing with pests, contact A-Alert Exterminating Service Inc if you find yourself with a pesky pest problem. From ants and bedbugs to rats and squirrels, our professional exterminators can provide efficiency and a good night’s sleep.