When Is the Best Time to Spray for Bugs?
The Need for Pest Control
No one likes or wants bugs in their house. The thought of creepy crawlies in your walls and running free throughout your house is an idea that would make even the most iron stomach cringe. Studies show that the average household has about 100 different bugs. That is a study done on generally recognized species, and not micro species. And if that’s the number of species in a house, we don’t even want to think about how many individual bugs there are in the average household! Though not all these bugs are considered “bad” or damaging to your home, the damaging ones do make their presence known. Like the termites found in the walls or the grubs in your lawn.
Bugs are inevitable. They will always get into places you don’t want them to. The only way to prevent them is by using some form of insecticide. Other natural methods, such as planting certain flowers or homemade remedies, will not be as effective as utilizing some chemicals. They will help for a short time but will have a different effect. Performing pest control treatment yourself is less efficient than getting a professional company. It is important to set up a Pest Control company to help with peace of mind in your home.
There are helpful bugs in your gardens and lawns. You want to ensure the bugs that help your garden, such as bees, ladybugs, and earthworms, are not affected. But by definition, nasty bugs are the insects that directly damage plants, while good bugs help pollinate. But with every excellent insect, more insects damage your lawns, gardens, and trees. It is all about proper timing and placement to target suitable insects.
So, when is the best time to schedule pest control treatment?
What Is the Best Time for Pest Control Treatment?
There are two different answers to this question. There are different advantages and disadvantages for each season. It is wise to be ahead of the curve and schedule a spraying with your pest control company. You can get one extensive annual spraying treatment with highly active ingredients that work for a long time and have someone come spray every time a big issue pops up, or you can get quarterly sprays. Quarterly sprays are a service that most pest control companies offer. If you decide to go the annual or quarterly route, knowing and determining the best time to schedule your pest control treatments is essential.
Quarterly Sprays vs. Annual Spray
What are the benefits of scheduling quarterly sprays versus annual sprays? Quarterly sprays mean that your pest company will come over to your house four times a year to spray. They use a pest control spray that is active for 90 days, and then they come over to reapply. This is an ideal choice if you live in an area with a bug problem. Quarterly technicians specialize in insect inspections and the upkeep of an active bug barrier. They are generally known for services that care for stinging insect nests, spider nests, or rodents. Annual sprays are for homes that don’t have as much of an active pest problem and want pest control for peace of mind. The mindset is more about the prevention of potential bug infestations. Pest control companies will be coming over less, which is more of the out-of-sight, out-of-mind thinking. If you choose to go for the annual spray, choosing the season to spray is even more critical than the quarterly spray.
Spring
Everyone loves springtime in Eastern Idaho. When the sun is out enough to melt the snow, the piles will finally melt down. And it may even be warm enough to leave the house with a jacket. Spring is an incredibly valued time in this area of Idaho. After a long famed Eastern Idaho winter, the bugs are ready for the warmer temperatures just as much as the humans are. As the snow melts, the grass is exposed, and the bugs’ ideal food sources start to grow. Bugs follow food. Spring is when bugs come out of their dormant state. They wake up from their inactive states, but are not breeding or multiplying yet. Some of the colder tolerance bug species are starting to lay eggs. If you decide to schedule a spray, it will kill the eggs and the bugs before they begin to breed.
Winter
Like most reasonable animals in these awful Idaho winters, insects hibernate to avoid killing cold temperatures. For insects, this hibernation stage is called diapause. These hibernation states cause the insect’s internal systems to go dormant. There is no development of the insect during this stage. Diapause causes an insect’s metabolism to slow down to conserve energy. The ideal time to have your home sprayed is in early spring when the snow starts to thaw and crack. Winter is the time to spray if you are concerned with massive insect invasions. If pest control treatment is performed in the winter, colonies and nests are destroyed when populations are low and before potential breeding seasons for the bugs to be more tolerant to the cold.
Fall
There are some benefits to applying pest control in the Fall. Autumn weather brings perfect temperatures. After a busy summer of eating and reproducing, bugs are looking for areas to shelter for the winter. Bugs are only thinking of survival. They will go and find every crack and crevice they can to hide. This is an excellent time to spray and prevent them from laying eggs that will then hatch in the spring and summer. This can help reduce the overall pest population on your property. Finally, spraying bugs in the fall can give you peace of mind before the cold winter month.
Summer
Summer is the ideal season for bugs. This is prime infestation time. Summer is when the bug activity is more pronounced than the bugs themselves. They are most apparent because this is when the colonies are at peak captivity. This is because the bugs have had access to plenty of water and food. They have also had several weeks to breed. Spraying bugs in the summer is a very effective way to control the pest population. Because summer is the most common time to spray, keep in mind the time of day you apply the insecticide. It is ideal to Spray in the early morning or in the late evening when temperatures are more relaxed. If you spray during the hottest parts of the day, the heat can cause the insecticide to evaporate quickly, which reduces its effectiveness.
Pest Prevention
Pest control treatment works best when paired with pest prevention. Pest prevention is also essential, so the issue is never as bad. Some basic and easy pest prevention steps are removing any potential food and water sources for the insects. Some potential food sources would be leftover dog food and spoiled fruit. Another important step in pest prevention is sealing all the possible entry points around your home. Some examples of entry points are cracks or gaps in walls, floors, and ceilings. The accumulation of water attracts insects as well. Fixing leaky plumbing and not letting water collect in any areas such as plant trays. Also, make sure that all the sealing around windows and doors are closed. Pests can squeeze through the tiniest opening, so it is crucial to be thorough. Clutter, such as stacks of old newspapers, magazines, or cardboard provides ideal places for pests to breed and hide. Pest prevention is all about the small, little things working with insecticides to have the best effects.
When is the best time to spray for bugs?
The answer to the question depends on every homeowner’s individual needs. Everyone wants to prevent bugs like ants, bedbugs, cockroaches, earwigs, ticks, and flies from settling in your home or yard. The common insects of Eastern Idaho tend to be bugs so prevention would be better than action on sight. Spring is the best time to spray for prevention. If you notice any other bug infestations, your trusted pest control company will handle that problem for you.
The Yard Butler
Professionals like The Yard Butler, located in Idaho Falls, can handle pest control concerns. They are very knowledgeable about the insects in this area. You don’t have to worry about earwigs, spiders, ants, wasps, moths, or even small rodents! They will take care of all your concerns. The Yard Butler employs a quarterly spray treatment to ensure that there is never a season where your home is at risk for infestations. With the Yard Butler, there is no living in fear of pests.