With summer in full swing, you’ve likely noticed increased pest activity. Why is it that most pests like the summer season best?
1. Temperature
Temperatures that rise in spring and summer affect the behaviour and development of many common pests. But even pests have their limits when temperatures reach extreme heights. Fire ants, for example, will go deep into the ground, and some other pests will try to seek shelter indoors to avoid the heat. That means the temperature favorability makes pests more active until that tipping point when they’re inclined to make their way into your air-conditioned homes and offices with the rest of us.
2. Moisture
Water is essential for survival, which is why many pests thrive in moist areas. Moisture in the air also has an impact, so summer showers and high humidity make for favourable conditions. During periods of drought, pests will move indoors to seek out damp areas for shelter.
3. Food Sources
If you spent your weekend mowing the lawn at home, you’re well aware that grass and other vegetation is more abundant during summer. What eats up your Saturday afternoon is an all-you-can-eat buffet for many pests. This can lead to a pest population increase until the food source is completely depleted and pests move on.
4. Life Cycle
Many pests are cold-blooded and therefore highly impacted by the weather. This results in a stage of increased activity during certain stages of their life cycle in the summer months. Ant colonies, for example, will monumentally increase in size as pests reproduce to ensure the survival of their colony during the approaching colder months when they become dormant.
5. Daylight
Summer means longer days and shorter nights. More hours of sunlight in a day give many pests more time to feed. This means we may see pests more often over the summer as we, too, are enjoying longer days outdoors.
Many summer pests are not only bothersome to humans, but also able to inflict painful bites and spread diseases. Follow these prevention tips or then call in Ultima Search who are the pest control experts for the last 30 years. Explore our range of pest management products online.
