In the southeast we have had a record low temperatures in what seems like the longest winter I can remember. I think old Punxsutawney Phil better be careful because he didn’t make a whole lot of friends this year. Still it seems that springtime is finally on the way and with it hundreds of trillions of insects will soon be draining the antifreeze from their bodies and stretching out all those stiff joints that haven’t moved all winter. Ladybugs will begin to stir and wonder how they ended up on your window sill and earwigs will begin to dig themselves out of their soil encapsulation ready to begin anew. Spiders spin new webs in hopes of catching the hordes of fresh flies that will multiply by the minute and the termite can freely explore the soil not hindered by the frost line that slowed down his progress these last 5 months. The annual invasion of mother earth and our homes will soon be in full swing and with the also record snow and rain this year it just may be a bumper crop.
The process has already begun in Florida as swarms of termites have pest companies hopping and home owners worried. The palmetto roach is considered by some the unofficial bird of the sunshine state and they are more abundant than I’ve seen in a few years. Of course the cold weather gave rise to the rodents across the nation moving into homes and businesses if for no other reason than just a warm place to lay their heads and they just might like living in your home by now and not leave so 2010 is setting up to be the year of the pest.
Wise pest professionals have been preparing for this day for quite some time. They know the time is now to put down a thorough
exterior barrier using dusts in the voids and making sure the thresh holds of your doors offer no easy entry. They are taking advantage of the lack of vegetation (killed off by the cold) and using the new vantage point to treat areas that may not be so easy to get to when the shrubbery grows back. Fresh baits for roaches, earwigs ants and more will be placed in all their favorite places awaiting their short arrival. Don’t be surprised if they ask you to repair some screens or clean the gutters so as not to give the advancing pest armies any undue advantage.
Sadly, some homeowners will put off the bug man when he calls for this early season service. With some snow still on the ground and somewhat sloppy conditions they’ll want to wait until it warms up and see if they even have a problem to tend to. For these people their is no need to get pest control before they have a problem and indeed some may even say that it is in the interest of being earth friendly that they just don’t want pest control products sprayed when their is no problem to solve. Instead they will wait and perhaps tolerate the first earwig they see and maybe the 3rd roach but alas when the hairiest wolf spider is staring at the housewife in the shower she’ll almost break an ankle getting to that phone.
By then her plan of green living will have back fired because what could have been accomplished with small amounts of reasonably placed pest control products will need to be replaced with clean-out tactics to give her the fast results she now wants. Playing catch up with an insect colony can be maddening and by now they can be in so many hard to reach places. Don’t get me wrong, pest control can be a challenge even under the best of circumstances but it would seem logical and in everybody’s best interest to treat early this season whether on their own or with a professional service. While I’m not one to go along with every bit of conventional wisdom that comes down the pike, it does seem to me that this year has all the makings of being the perfect storm for pests. A whole bunch of experts are saying the same thing and even state officials are telling people to brace themselves for what could be a major swing in insect activity. So if you are a do it yourself pest control person or you decide to call a pro, why not do it early just in case 2010 is, the year of the pest.
I have many articles and videos linked above that should be able to help you in treatments but also to understand just how and why this could be a banner year. I hope it helps.
