September is normally the peak of our rainy season, but we’ve already been inundated with excessive rain this summer. This hasn’t only put a damper on late-summer outdoor activities—it’s also ushered in a range of pest problems (and lawn issues, too).

What to watch for

Here are a few things you may have noticed recently:  

• Mosquitoes: The stagnant water that can collect around your property doesn’t have a chance to evaporate when rains are frequent and humidity stays high. Stagnant water provides the ideal spot for mosquitoes to lay their eggs, and they don’t need much of it—even a small amount of water left standing in a fold in your patio furniture covers is enough.
• Stinging insects: Pests such as wasps and yellowjackets may be forced out of their outdoor nests and come into your home. Wasps don’t fly very well if their wings get wet, so they tend to look for nesting sites where they’ll stay dry, such as beneath eaves. Yellowjackets may also head indoors if they can’t find a safe, dry place outdoors.
• Ants: All types of ants, including fire ants, can be flooded out of their mounds and tunnels during periods of heavy rain. Because of their size, ants can easily make their way indoors through small cracks around doors and windows as they seek warm, dry shelter.
• Roaches: These pests are known for surviving or even thriving in tough conditions, but they won’t hesitate to seek higher ground if their hiding spot floods. They can travel inside via drains and pipes that give them easy access to your home’s interior, so you may notice more roaches indoors when we’re going through the rainy season.
• Lawn trouble: Your turf needs water, but not this much! St. Augustine grass, the most common type of turfgrass in our area, becomes vulnerable to fungal diseases, such as gray leaf spot and root rot. Prolonged stress can also make your lawn more susceptible to damage from pests, like sod webworms. 

What you can do

Although there’s nothing you can do about the weather, you can take a few steps to help reduce some of the problems that regular heavy rains can cause:

• Keep tree branches trimmed so that they don’t touch your roof and cause water to pool.
• Give any mulch in your yard a quick check after heavy rain to make sure it hasn’t floated into piles. Level it out so that it’s able to dry—damp mulch holds moisture, which attracts all types of pests.
• Empty standing water wherever you can find it to control mosquitoes. With the frequent rainfall we’re experiencing right now, you may have to do this every day.

Get in touch for a free estimate

It’s challenging enough during times of normal rainfall to control pests in your home and yard without adding flooding rains to the mix. If you notice any of the issues we’ve described above, please contact us! We offer absolutely free inspections and estimates on our comprehensive residential pest control and lawn pest control services. Our prices are based on the square footage of your home or property, so you never pay too much for expert pest control.