During the spring, greenery and flowers are in full bloom, bringing with them new pest issues. Many insects that are generally dormant during the winter months, like hornets, ants and wasps, like ants, appear in full force during spring as they reproduce, construct nests and discover food resources.
At this time of year, it is essential for facility managers to maintain good communications with their pest management teams. Targeted strategies will be required to wipe out pests, and inspections during this season can discover breeding grounds and foraging areas. Eliminating these spaces now can cut the number of pests in your facility come the warmer months.
Take time now to carefully inspect your building’s exterior, keeping an eye out for small openings or cracks. Don’t forget to check roofs, screens and doors too. During the colder months, changing humidity and temperature levels can affect the exterior of your building, and snow and ice can expand exterior crevices and cracks.
If you spot issues, think about making long-term upgrades to protect your facility from pests. For example, if a certain door is always causing maintenance issues, consider installing a new door sweep or using a different varnish. Talk with your pest management team to discover ways to mitigate issues with ease and create more permanent solutions.
This is also the time of year when facility managers should be on the lookout for one pest in particular: termites. It’s easier to spot evidence of termites in the warmer months, so ask your pest management team to undergo a comprehensive inspection for these critical pests.
Summer: Focus on the Outdoors
Summer is the time to address exterior features and implement pest control strategies outside.
Trash should always be disposed of away from overhead and service doors in sealed containers. Don’t give pests easy access to your facility by storing trash near an entrance.
Keep all bushes, shrubs and trees well trimmed and away from the facade of your building. This will make it more difficult for pests to get into your structure because they won’t have branches to utilize as bridges.
After you use a sprinkler for the firs time, check if water pools near the head. This can provide the perfect breeding ground for pesky mosquitos and offer larger pests, like rats, a refreshing source of drinking water. Check the sprinkler again after heavy rains or when it has been run for an extended period.
Insects also love light, so reposition yours away from doors that are frequently opened if possible. If that prevents a safety hazard, install plastic barriers or air curtains to keep pests out of your facility.
If you’ve tried all these prevention methods but still spot pests in your facility this spring or summer, shop our online catalog for pest control products and cleaning supplies in Danville. We have everything from ant traps to hornet killers! To learn more, contact us today.
