A Seasonal Pest Prevention Checklist for Nicholasville Homes

There always seems to be something that needs attention around the yard. One weekend you're clearing leaves out of the gutters, and the next you're dumping rainwater from a flowerpot or realizing the bushes beside the house have gotten a little out of hand. Many of those common seasonal yard maintenance goals also easily overlap with pest prevention. Standing water can give mosquitoes a place to breed, while tall grass, brush, and leaf litter can create good hiding spots for ticks. Ants, spiders, and other bugs have their own reasons for showing up as the weather changes.

When it comes to Nicholasville, KY pest control, you don't need to add a huge list of chores to your routine. Here's what to keep an eye on throughout the year.

Spring: Start With Water and Yard Cleanup

Spring rain gets lawns and gardens growing again, but it can also result in water lingering in all kinds of unexpected spots. Take a walk around your yard after a good rain and look for flowerpots, children's toys, buckets, clogged gutters, and low areas that can all hold water. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed, so start the habit of dumping out water now and keep it up all season.

Summer: Keep an Eye on the Places Pests Hide

By summer, your yard may look completely different. Shrubs are fuller, grass grows quickly, and shady landscaping can become favorite spots for you and your family. But those shady spots can also give mosquitoes and other pests somewhere to rest during the heat of the day. Tall grass, brush, and leaf litter are also attractive spots for ticks to hang out. Keep your grass, shrubs, and plants trimmed before they get overgrown. You don't need to clear out every shady spot in the yard. 

Fall: Don't Let Leaves Take Over

Fallen leaves have a way of building up against fences, underneath shrubs, beside decks, and along the edges of the house. A few leaves scattered across the lawn aren't a problem, but thick, damp piles are worth cleaning up, especially around where you like to spend time outside. Leaf litter can also provide easy cover for ticks and other pests, while piles of debris can create quiet hiding places around the yard. It’s also important to keep gutters clear as well. Leaves can block them from draining properly, leaving rainwater sitting around longer than you realize.

Winter: Check Around the House Before It Gets Too Cold

As nights get colder, some pests start turning up closer to buildings and other protected spaces. Take a walk around the outside of your Nicholasville home before winter arrives. Check the weather stripping around doors, look for damaged window screens, and seal up any gaps around utility lines or other openings. It also helps to move firewood and stored materials away from the home when possible. Garages and sheds may need a little bit of tidying, too, especially if boxes or other items have been sitting undisturbed for months. Spiders and other bugs really like to make themselves comfortable in those quiet corners. There may be less to do around your yard in the winter, but pest prevention doesn't have to stop completely.

Make Pest Prevention Part of Your Routine

You can have the nicest yard on the block and still have mosquitoes, ticks, and other pests around your home and yard. That’s why Mosquito Squad Plus of Lexington offers outdoor pest management to help when your seasonal checklist isn't quite enough. Recurring mosquito applications help control up to 85–90% of mosquitoes for up to 3 weeks. And for homes dealing with several types of outdoor pests, Yard Defender helps manage more than 20 common outdoor pests, including ants, spiders, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. For Nicholasville, KY pest control, call Mosquito Squad Plus of Lexington at (859) 955-8037 for a free quote and learn more about pest management options for your home.