Top Five Outdoor Pest Prevention Tips.

When it comes to pest control, prevention is always less expensive and less time-consuming than trying to treat an infestation after it happens. By practicing these simple, common-sense pest prevention tips, you should be able to significantly reduce the risk of infestations of the most common types of pests like ants, cockroaches, spiders, and rodents. 

1. Seal the Structure.

Screen vents, ensure doors are tight-fitting with functional sweeps, and seal gaps around windows, doors, pipes, and utility lines enter through the wall. These are common places that pests enter, as well as, great ways to reduce heating/cooling bills!

Protects against: Ants, Earwigs, Rodents, Stink Bugs, Spiders and Wasps

2. Eliminate or Renew Standing Water. Direct Rain Away from the Foundation.

Pools, bird baths, and fountains can bring a lot of enjoyment, but may also bring a lot of pests if they aren’t maintained. Check rain gutters during a storm to ensure they are properly draining water away from the structure.

Protects against: Ants, Earwigs, Mosquitoes, Spiders, Termites and Springtails

3. Avoid Thick Mulch & Organic Debris Along the Exterior.

Mulch and leaf litter trap moisture and attract termites. Mulch is great for nurturing plant root growth, but can be problematic when next to the foundation. Thick ground covers like Pachysandra and creeping vines also provide pest harborage and may make it easier for some species to invade.

Protects against: Ants, Earwigs, Rodents, Spiders, Termites and Springtails

4. Store Garbage in a Pest-proof Container.

Metal cans with tight-fitting lids deter pests. Locking straps can also be used to make it hard for wildlife, like raccoons, to open the lids. Spillage should be periodically washed out to minimize attractiveness to insects and other pests.

Protects against: Flies, Wildlife, Rodents and Wasps

5. Reduce or Eliminate Evening Lighting.

Change bulbs to a yellow or warmer color spectrum, use motion sensors instead of leaving them on constantly, angle light fixtures downward, or install fixtures with covers to reduce light shining outward.

Protects against: Cockroaches, Moths, Rodents, Stink Bugs and Spiders

Rose Practices Integrated Pest Management (IPM) For The Home

What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an environmentally friendly approach to pest control focusing on prevention rather than the routine application of pesticides.

Benefits of Integrated Pest Management

• Reduce the number of pests
• Reduce the number of pesticide applications
• Save money
• Protect property and health

Successful IPM programs use the following implementation approach:

1. Identify Pests

Proper pest identification:

• Determines the best preventative measures
• Helps reduce the unnecessary use of pesticides
• Prevents the elimination of beneficial organisms

2. Prevent Pests

IPM focuses on prevention by removing conditions that attract pests, such as food, water, and shelter. Preventive actions include:

• Reducing clutter
• Sealing areas where pests enter the building (weatherization)
• Removing trash and overgrown vegetation
• Maintaining clean dining and food storage areas
• Installing pest barriers
• Removing standing water
• Educating building occupants on IPM

3. Control Pests

Pest control is required if prevention is ineffective. IPM programs use the most effective, lowest risk options considering the risks to the applicator, building occupants, and environment. Control methods include:

• Pest trapping
• Heat/cold treatment
• Physical removal
• Pesticide application

Click Here to contact your nearest Rose Pest Solutions service center for more information or an appointment.