It’s finally here! Summer has arrived in the UK.
We all know what summer means to most of us, BBQ’s, eating outside and spending much more time outside and of course a bigger selection of all those delicious fruits, vegetables and drinks.
The heat and the longer days are welcome relief from the colder winter months, and this is not just for humans! Summer can also bring with it a bigger selection of pests to deal with.
DALPEST Pest Solutions know all to well the different types of pests that emerge at this time of the year, and so we have written this quick article to guide you about what to expect and how you can minimise the pest activity at your home this year.
Flies
There are many species of flies around at this time of the year. They will all be familiar to you as they are a common pest in the UK.
Fruit flies are a particular nuisance and they feed on (you guessed it) fruit! They are attracted to the sugary smells that come from rotting and fermented fruit and alcohol in our homes, kitchens and around bins.
Bluebottles are another common fly species to contend with in the summer months. They are easy to spot in your property because of their bright colouring and loud low tone buzzing noises.
How to minimise flies in your home.
There are several tips and techniques you can use to keep the flies away. The best advice we can give as pest controllers is often the simplest, but it does work!
- Keep rubbish bins and bags closed – this will prevent both smells of food from getting out, and it will also stop flies from getting into the bins.
- Empty bins regularly – this may seem like common sense, but if the bins indoors are kept empty and free of decaying food then you will attract less flies.
- Keep open food covered – as with the bins, keeping food covered up or stored away will help to stop the spread of disease from flies, but it will also prevent them being attracted to them in the first place.
- Apply window or door fly screens – these can be handy if you like to have windows and doors in your home open.
Wasps
They need no introduction! We are not sure we have ever found anyone who loves wasps, they are unfortunately a much-hated pest. This is due to their aggressive behaviour and ability to sting.
During the hottest summer months these are the pests that we have the most interaction with as pest controllers. Nests are usually built up to full size by this time of the year so the activity around the nest site is busy.
Apart from this, we all know that wasps are (like flies) very drawn to sugary smells and food outdoors. We have all had a picnic invaded by these pests at one time or another!
Keeping the wasps away.
While we are unable to offer huge amounts of advice on how to stop a nest from forming, we can assure you we can help to remove these and get rid of the wasps for you as part of our service.
Nests can mean that serious volumes of wasps will be present at a single property, and they can be very aggressive. If you experience this, please contact professional pest control straight away so they can safely remove the nest for you.
Reducing the number of wasps in the garden or around the property if you don’t have a nest issue is quite simple. Follow similar advice to that for flies (above).
- Eating outdoors – while this is a benefit of summer, this can attract wasps. To reduce the numbers of then, clear food away as soon as you are finished with it.
- Don’t leave drinks outside – fizzy, sticky or alcoholic drinks are very attractive to wasps. Take the same approach as with food and clear up as soon as you can to limit the attraction.
Bed Bugs
Yes, even at this time of the year bed bugs can be a troublesome pest!
Without even realising it, people can bring them back from their summer holiday, straight into their home. Bed bugs are not fussy about where they live, if there are people residing in a property then they will be fed on by bed bugs.
The signs of bed bug activity are not always clear, if you have a potential infestation then you may notice things like small blood stains on bedding, bites on your skin (particularly arms or legs) and even live bugs or discarded white shells.
How to avoid bed bugs
Some pest issues will occur even if you take steps to try and avoid them. Bed bugs can be one of those so making regular checks to your property is the best tip you can be given, and this applies to the whole year – not just the summer.
Check mattresses in the creases and check around the headboard for signs of activity. You will be most likely to spot them here first if there is a potential problem lurking.
You can also follow some of these steps to avoid bringing these unwanted visitors into your home.
- Keep suitcases and bags off the floor – if you are going away be aware that bed bugs are more likely get inside bags or clothes that are left on the floor.
- Wash clothes when you get home – this is a fantastic tip for travellers, washing your clothes on a hot wash or high heat (60 degrees or above) will kill off any traces of bed bugs that you may have picked up while away.
If you are unlucky enough to still find yourself in a situation where you feel you have an out-of-control pest issue concerning any of the pests mentioned above, then you can trust that DALPEST Pest Solutions are here to help you.
We are RSPH Level 2 qualified pest controllers and members of the BPCA (British Pest Control Association), and we have all the knowledge and tools at our disposal to help rid you of those nasty pests!
Remember you can also talk to us about any other pest control requirements you may have on 0333 2026 223. We would love to hear from you.
