Aug 4, 2016, 09:55 AM by Fred Speer

 

Keeping up with yard work doesn’t always top the list of weekend activities. Still, a well-maintained yard not only is visually appealing to you and your neighbors, but it also can lessen the chances of an unwanted pest infestation.

Most of the time, pests that get inside your home come directly from the surrounding yard. Pests, including ants, termites, cockroaches, and flies, to name a few, live outdoors until circumstances – the need for food, water, and/or shelter – drive them inside in search of these vital necessities. 

One way to discourage pests from establishing nesting locations in your backyard is to stay on top of those mundane, but important, yard maintenance tasks. Cutting the grass, trimming bushes and trees, and cleaning up leaves and brush not only give your yard more curb appeal, but make it less attractive to pests seeking to access the comforts of your living space.

For example, tree limbs resting on the roof of your house provide easy route for ants, rodents and other pests looking to gain access through your roof – a common entry point for pests into a home.

That pile of unused firewood in your yard can attract mice and wood-destroying insects, and some of them may hitchhike inside when you go to build the first fire of the season.

And that extra layer of mulch around the foundation of your home can serve a forward-operating base for destructive termites.

The Clark Man offers the following pest prevention tips that can be done while you are taking care of your yard:

• Keep tree limbs trimmed and away from coming into contact with the roof; tree limbs make an ideal expressway to your house for ants and other pests
• Trim shrubs and don’t let the grass grow high; pests – including rodents, fleas, spiders, cockroaches, and ants – enjoy the cover that overgrown shrubs and grass provide
• Do not overdo it with mulch near your home’s foundation; mulch retains moisture and thus makes an ideal harborage for destructive termites, ants, and other pests. Maintain a mulch-free barrier of stone or dirt at least 18 inches from the foundation
• Avoid excessive moisture or standing water in your yard; pests of all types love moisture, and standing water is an invitation for mosquitoes. Fix leaky exterior faucets or broken irrigation systems, empty out the bird bath, and do not overwater your lawn
• Clean up leaves and brush around the foundation of your home and in the yard. These provide pests, especially mice, with a convenient harborage location
• Do not let downed trees or rotting wood lay around your yard – dead wood is an attractant to termites and carpenter ants
• Store firewood away from the house and off the ground to keep termites, wood-destroying insects, and other pests from inhabiting it and hitching a ride inside

If you are having issues with pests in your yard, 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.