Rain displaces insects from their hiding places. Your home is the next most attractive habitat.
Fresh after a rainstorm, it happens again. The bugs are everywhere, absolutely everywhere. And you’re overwhelmed seeing stink bugs all over the curtains or ants marching across the kitchen counter. Let’s not even talk about the centipedes in the bathroom.
It’s not your imagination. And it’s entirely reasonable to be frustrated by it.
Rain causes a lot of things to happen all at once. Water saturates the soil and floods the underground tunnels and nests that many insects call home. Ants, ground beetles, and earwigs are all displaced by heavy rain and head for the nearest dry shelter. That often means your home’s foundation.
At the same time, humidity levels also go up. For pests like mosquitoes, gnats, and cockroaches, this is a good deal more comfortable than dry conditions. Mosquitoes, in particular, can breed in standing water which includes puddles, clogged gutters, overturned flower pots, and more. The standing water doesn’t need to last long either, as mosquitoes can hatch in as little as seven days.
Moisture itself also attracts other pests, including centipedes, silverfish, and earthworms. This, in turn, attracts predatory insects that feed on them until the whole chain reaction leads to more pests in your house, all at the same time.
Luckily, the post-rain spike in pest problems is usually temporary. Most will likely go back to their normal habitats soon. But if your home has cracks in the foundation, gaps around doors, or poor drainage by the perimeter, rain can push pests inside where they’ll stay for a long time.
To prevent this from happening, you can take steps to reduce what draws pests in. That includes fixing drainage issues, clearing gutters, sealing gaps, and eliminating standing water. If indoor humidity tends to run high, you might even want to run a dehumidifier in your bathroom, basement, or laundry room.
If you’re a Concord homeowner and you want to stay ahead of the pest surges that follow rain events, Mosquito Squad of Franklin & Framingham might be able to help. This can be done with recurring barrier treatments that help control mosquitoes, ticks, and other outdoor pests throughout the season. Treatments are applied every 21 days, which means protection is refreshed regularly regardless of weather.
