Rainy Day:(
Recently, the state of Georgia has been experiencing an unusual bout of rainfall. While this is certainly good news for flowers and gardens, it can spell disaster for pest security around your home.
The truth is, increased rainfall can be a strongly conducive condition that may lead to an increased likelihood of pest invasions in and around your home.
But why exactly does rainfall increase your probability of dealing with pest threats? The answer may surprise you.
More rainfall = More mosquitoes:
Mosquitoes are one of the most common summertime nuisance pests. A large population around your property can make outdoor activities unpleasant or impossible.
Female mosquitoes reproduce by laying hundreds of eggs at a time in standing water. These eggs quickly hatch and newly developed mosquitoes then continue this generative process. Recent rainfall often leaves behind puddles of standing water in tree stumps, divots, and other naturally forming depressions. Such locations provide a convenient breeding ground for mosquitoes, and this can quickly result in an infestation.
Rainfall causes relocation:
With increasing development of suburban communities across Georgia, the boundary between nature and the home has gotten much smaller. Oftentimes these new developments can be placed in areas with large populations of pests and wildlife. While some of these pests are naturally displaced by this development, others may remain in untouched areas.
This can change, however, after a period of increased rainfall. Rain can often lead to erosion and this can disturb and scatter a range of wildlife, arachnid, and insect pests. These pests may then seek out a new nesting space inside or around your home. This is especially true for predatory arachnids such as scorpions, who have a low tolerance to moisture and must relocate to survive.
Wildlife pests, especially those who establish nests and repositories of stored food such as chipmunks or squirrels, can be enticed to enter your home after being forced out of theirs. These pests can bring contaminates and pathogens into the home and cause structural damage to wiring, insulation, and drywall.
Rain can weaken preventative treatments:
If your home has a form of preventative treatment designed to keep out invasive pests such as termites or ants, these treatments might be weakened by significant rainfall. While measures are often taken both by product developers and the installing technicians to protect these treatments, there is still a possibility that intense rainfall might displace treatment perimeters.
Though it is uncommon, treatment tools such as bait station systems can be flooded or moved out of place due to erosion, and this may create a vulnerability that destructive pests such as termites can exploit. For this reason, it is not a bad idea to schedule an inspection of your preventative treatment perimeter after a period of heavy rainfall.
Protecting your home from rainfall-induced pest vulnerabilities:
The fact is, while these scenarios may or may not occur specifically around your home, you should still ensure that you take proper measures to ensure that heavy rainfall doesn’t lead to new pest activity in your home. The best way to do this is to identify signs of pest activity and conditions that are conducive to infestation BEFORE a problem exists.
If you are concerned about your home, you may want to consider calling in a licensed pest control service to inspect and possibly pre-treat your home. This will save you time, expense, and frustration in the long-run and ensure that you continue to live pest free!
At Canton Termite and Pest Control, we have decades of experience dealing with pest and wildlife problems faced by residents all around Cherokee County! We employ a range of industry-leading treatment strategies that are designed to safely, effectively, and quickly eradicate pests from your home, regardless of the type and severity of the infestation!
So if you are in need of a knowledgeable, reliable pest control service, give us a call today at 770-479-1598! We will be happy to help in any way that we can!
By: Tim
