5 Pests That Could Be Lurking In Your Backyard
The backyard is a favorite hangout spot for many homeowners and their families. With plenty of room to grill, play catch, and lounge about, it’s no surprise that homeowners choose to spend their free time enjoying their property’s green space. Unfortunately, Florida is home to a wide array of pests that also like to take residence in lawns, gardens and backyards, and these pests can range anywhere from a moderate nuisance to a severe health concern.
If pests have invaded your outdoor space, it’s imperative to remove them before they begin infesting the interior of the home. Contact Champion Termite & Pest Control, a pest control company in Orange Park, FL, to get rid of those unwanted pests before they grow out of control.
Wasps
Often confused with their honeymaking counterparts, wasps are aggressive, flying insects notorious for their attacking swarms and bee-like appearance. These pests are typically most active during the spring and summer months, becoming a major disturbance for families looking to spend time outdoors. Nests made of paper-like materials on trees, ledges, or by the attic are common signs that a wasp infestation has made its way to a home. While typically unaggressive, when provoked — such as by a misthrown ball or tree-climbing session — wasps can swarm, stinging their victim multiple times. While not traditionally deadly, these stings are incredibly painful and can even cause allergic reactions if excessive stinging occurs. If a nest is noticed around or attached to a home, wasp removal services should be utilized to prevent any unnecessary injuries.
Tip: Walk around your property once a week and look for small nests that are forming.
Ants
Various species of ants are common throughout Florida, so finding an ant pile in the yard isn’t a rare experience. Mainly attracted to the smell of food and sugary drinks, ants are small pests that make their way into backyards in search of a meal. While not much of an issue when ant hills are located away from the home and other structures, ants can find their way onto outdoor patios and other frequented areas, making their presence known as they explore for resources. Certain species, such as the fire ant, are notorious for stinging, painful bites; and others, such as the carpenter ant, are known to damage wood structures found both in and around a house. The only way to properly eradicate a colony is to kill the queen, which can be a difficult task for untrained individuals as the queen and her larvae stay hidden deep underground. Our Orange Park ant exterminators can properly identify the species of ants inhibiting your yard, and employ a solution.
Tip: Pouring white vinegar on small ant hills may encourage the pests to move elsewhere.
Crickets
The chirping of a cricket late at night may seem alluring at first, but the noise associated with a swarm of the boisterous pest certainly isn’t. Crickets come to a home much for the same reasons other pests do, which is to find food, water, and shelter. For homes that have an outdoor garden, the vegetation makes for an attractive hot spot for crickets to accumulate as they consume lettuce, apples, and other fruits and vegetables. While one or two crickets may not be an issue, these pests can quickly grow in number and overwhelm an outdoor area, feeding on whatever resources are available. Even worse, once the resources have been exhausted outside, the crickets will attempt to make their way inside in order to continue feeding. To prevent an indoor infestation from occurring, contact an Orange Park exterminator who understands the best way to eradicate these rowdy pests.
Tip: Plant gardens away from the home to make it more difficult for pests to find a way indoors.
Fleas
Wherever warm-blooded animals roam, it’s likely that fleas have found their way to the same place. Incredibly hard to spot with just a quick glance, fleas are tiny, parasitic creatures that latch onto furry mammals, such as cats and dogs, and bring with them a world full of disease and itchiness. In nearly all cases, once a flea infestation has begun, only a flea exterminator is able to properly eradicate the pests. Even though fleas only live on average of 2–3 months, they reproduce incredibly quickly and in high numbers, with female fleas being able to produce upwards of 5,000 eggs during their short lifespan. With proper preventative pest control services, outdoor areas can be treated for flea infestations before they spread further.
Tip: If you have pets that go outside, check them and their bedding daily for fleas.
Termites
Feeding off of wood and other cellulose materials, termites are a danger to a home and its surrounding property. In most cases, these pests are hard to spot until an infestation has already begun, as they tend to hide either underground or inside of wooden structures. Once inside of the soil surrounding the home, any wooden structures connected to the ground, such as porches or even the foundation of the house, are susceptible to being infested. At Champion Termite & Pest Control, we suggest property owners schedule regular termite inspections, as a trained professional will be able to spot the beginning of a termite colony before it causes serious damage. For termite treatment and extermination in Orange Park, FL, contact us today.
Tip: Learn how to spot termites.
