As you and your family spend the summer enjoying your backyard, patio, and porch, you may encounter flying or crawling interlopers that are looking to hang out. These interlopers are not your nosy neighbors. They are bugs.

Insects are by nature outdoor creatures that like to spend time where there is shelter, food, or water, and that often puts them near humans. While most insects are harmless and are nothing more than a nuisance, others pose a safety threat. These include stinging insects and mosquitoes.

Did you know that mosquitoes only need a half-inch of stagnant water to reproduce? There may be items in your yard that provide an ideal breeding ground, such as bird baths, baby pools, grill covers, and potted plants.

What attracts insects to your yard? Clark, your friendly pest, mosquito, and termite control – and grounds care – expert, would like to shed some light on that question, as well as share a few tips to keep your backyard pest free this summer.

• Readily available food: Backyards often provide a variety of food sources that attract insects. These include flowering plants, fruits, vegetables, and even garbage or compost bins. Such insects as bees, butterflies, and beetles are attracted to the nectar and pollen from flowers, while flies and other insects are attracted to decaying organic matter.
• Water sources: Backyards with such water features as birdbaths, ponds, or even stagnant water in containers can attract insects. Mosquitoes, for example, require water for breeding, so any standing water in a backyard can become a breeding ground for them.
• Places to nest: Backyards can provide shelter and suitable nesting sites for various insects. These include vegetation, tall grasses, trees, shrubs, and even man-made structures like wooden fences or garden sheds. Such insects as ants, wasps, and bees may build nests or colonies in these areas.

It’s important to note that not all insects are pests or harmful. In fact, many insects play important roles in pollination, decomposition, and maintaining ecological balance. However, if you’re concerned about specific pests or the abundance of insects in your backyard, it’s time to call or text Clark Pest Control.

Keeping your backyard pest free

What can you do to keep unwanted insects out of your yard? Here are Clark’s six tips to help achieve that goal:

1. When spending time outdoors, apply an insect repellent containing an EPA-registered ingredient, such as DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
2. Consider wearing long clothing and tucking your pantlegs into socks, especially if you’re spending time in higher grass.
3. Prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your yard by eliminating standing water and routinely changing the water in birdbaths and kiddie pools.
4. Seal and cover any trash with tight lids, making sure to place cans far from primary entertainment spots. If you’re cooking out in the yard, keep yellowjackets, wasps, and hornets away by covering all food when outside.
5. Overgrown brush and weeds can house and hide bugs like ticks and mosquitoes. Keep shrubbery trimmed and mow your lawn on a regular basis.
6. Seal cracks and openings in the foundation and around windows and doors, install screens on windows and doors, and inspect both pets and people before coming inside to keep these pests outside where they belong.

Call California’s trusted, friendly pest control expert at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or email us at clarkcares@clarkpest.com if pests are spoiling your outdoor activities. We can assess the situation and provide effective pest management solutions tailored to your needs.

Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home and yard.