Nothing is more frustrating than seeing your pristine lawn become overrun with a horde of troublesome pests. While many homeowners turn to DIY pest control methods to get rid of outdoor pest infestations, there are a few proactive steps you can take to prevent a pest problem from developing in the first place.
Pest Control Tips for a Pest-Free Yard
- Remove Standing Water –Water fixtures like bird baths have become synonymous with the ideal backyard. However, they also serve as reservoirs for standing water that make the perfect breeding ground for pests like mosquitoes. It’s important to remove any sources of standing water to prevent a bug boom that only professional pest control services can handle.
- Cut Off Food Sources –Pests of all sizes are always on the lookout for their next meal. The best way of keeping them out of your yard is to make sure there’s no food sources for them to snack on. This isn’t limited to packing up your birdfeeder. The garbage in your trash can is seen as a delicious meal to invading pests, so it’s important to keep the lids on your garbage cans tightly sealed. Also, remove pet food bowls at night as well as fallen produce from your garden that can attract hungry critters.
- Keep a Trimmed and Clean Yard –Pests are also on prowl for a safe place to call home. This can often be found in long grass or piles of debris littered around your backyard. Keeping a nicely trimmed yard clear of leaf piles and other hiding spots is one of the easiest steps you can take to keep pests out of your yard.
- Cultivate Pest Predators –Predators have always been nature’s best form of pest control. By making your yard friendlier to them, you make it much more hostile to the pests trying to plant their roots. Birds are perhaps the most common pest predator found in the average backyard, with birdfeeders and houses serving as natural lures to keep them around your property. Bats are another natural predator to pests. Much like birds, bat-houses can be installed along property lines to encourage bats to stick around your property. However, both bats and birds can become nuisance pests in their own right, so try not to make your property too inviting to them.
- Use Smoke As a Deterrent –Most insects, mosquitoes especially, are fended off by smoke. While it’s not advised to leave a fire unattended just to ward off pests, regular use of a fire pit can be a very useful and nonintrusive form of pest control. Tiki torches can also be used as a substitute, putting out smoke without the space and attention needed to maintain a fire pit.
- Hire a Professional Pest Control Service –While there’s dozens of DIY pest control methods to keep pests from your yard, nothing is safer or more effective than hiring a licensed pest control service. The knowledge provided by trained and experienced experts allows them to resolve your pest control problem faster and safer than you can do on your own.
Affordable Pest Control Experts Near You
If your Central, Florida property is overrun with nuisance pests, then rely on the professional pest control experts at Critter Control® of Polk County. Whether you have an existing pest problem or want to prevent one from ever starting, you can count on us for safe and effective services. To schedule an inspection for your Polk County home or business and receive a free pest control estimate, call us today at 863-204-2815.