Taking action now can help keep you pest free.

1 – Carpenter bees.  They make perfectly round holes in siding, which while amazing is a pain in the neck.  Best removed by squirting poison in the hole they created (Sevin dust) then filling the hole with wood filler.  Second best is with a badminton racquet.  Third best is to not have real wood on your house or in your deck.  I know, hard to do…

2 – ‘Skeeters.  Nothing ruins a backyard outing faster.  Best removed by cleaning up all standing water and having a regular skeeter treatment from a reputable exterminator.  Good pest control people have monthly treatment plans.  Now, believe it or not, is the time to begin one.

Stuck at a deck party that is skeeter infiltrated?  A couple good house fans will help keep them away as mosquitoes are notoriously poor fliers.

3 – Bats.  Hard to keep out of your belfry partly due to nocturnal habits and partly due to the fact they will find their way back to your home from 500 miles away.  I understand they are beneficial.  I still hate them. Best bet for removal is to call an exterminator.

4 – Roof rats.  Nasty, gnawing rats are appearing in epidemic numbers.  Having roof rats is not necessarily any indication of how good/bad a house keeper you are.  You need professional help to get rid of these.  Also – time to get rid of the roof rat’s furry cousin, the squirrel.

5 – Fire ants. There are hundreds of home remedies (from hot water to cover the mounds with grits) to kill these big league pains in the necks, but store bought poison and patience is your best bet.

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