May 3, 2016, 11:16 AM by Fred Speer

The key to keeping your home and living environment pest-free is to take the fight to pests on the exterior of your house. That battleground can be found right outside the front or back door in your yard.

The arrival of warm weather means going outdoors for backyard cookouts, tending to your landscape or vegetable garden, playing with the kids, or taking care of that home improvement to-do list.

Spring’s warmer weather also means an increase in pest foraging and nesting activity. Pests, for the most part, are outdoor dwellers that seek to gain access to your home in search of one of the following things – food, water, or harborage.

The key to keeping your home and living environment pest-free is to take the fight to pests on the exterior of your house. That battleground can be found right outside the front or back door in your yard.

Your backyard can be an ideal place for pests, including mice, ants, cockroaches, and fleas. Both natural and man-made environments make it easy for pests to thrive, but there are some things you can do to make your backyard less hospitable to them.

For example, did you know that standing water in a planting bed, bird bath, or the far back corner of the yard can be a breeding ground for harmful mosquitoes? Checking your irrigation system for broken pipes or sprinkler heads to prevent leaks, filling in low spots where water gathers, and changing the water in bird baths or animal feeders on a regular basis is recommended.

Another example of an exterior pest “hot zone” is the landscape planting bed around your home. The Clark Man appreciates the attractive visual appeal a load of fresh mulch gives your flower and planting beds, but cautions not to overdo it with mulch.

Mulch that is applied too thickly and too close to the house can turn into an ideal harborage for a variety of pests, including ants, cockroaches, termites, and mice. These pests will establish nests in thick mulch and get one step closer to gaining access to your home. 

The Clark Man recommends going easy on the mulch in your garden beds. Instead, try installing a 12- to 18-inch barrier of stones or gravel around your home’s foundation to discourage pests from nesting there.

Clark Pest Control’s Eight Great Spring Pest Prevention Tips

1. Clear up yard debris such as fallen branches, grass clippings, and leaves, which can provide pests with harborage
2. Keep your grass mowed and the landscape plants next to your house trimmed; consider installing a stone or gravel barrier around the foundation
3. Clean out gutters on a regular basis to prevent water from backing up and leaves and debris from collecting
4. Do not let tree limbs come in contact with the roof of your house.
5. Eliminate any standing water and its source (e.g., a broken irrigation system or leaky exterior faucet)
6. Make sure garbage and recycling containers have secure closing lids and are emptied on a regular basis
7. Do not store pet food outside or leave feeding bowls out overnight
8. Seal cracks or openings around home foundations

Remember, if you have question on keeping pests out of your home this spring, call or text (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or drop me an email at clarkcares@clarkpest.com

Until next time I’m the Clark Man, and thanks for helping me keep unwanted pests out of your home.