Displaying a kaleidoscope of colors, flowers bloom. The smell of cut grass, exhaust, and the sounds of lawns being cut fills the air. Temperatures increases and the desire to leave the confines of hibernation push us outdoors to barbecues and parks. Something else also arrives with spring and increases as summer begins and it isn’t fun. Minnesota has plenty of pests. Carpenter ants, ticks, and box elder bugs emerge in March and explode in numbers when the month of May hits.
Carpenter Ants
These are not ordinary ants. First off, carpenter ants are big. Soldiers can be as long an inch, that’s about the length from the tip of your index finger to the first joint. There are many different species of Carpenter Ant and can be found nearly worldwide. In Minnesota, they awake in March and grow more active as the heat climbs. The ants generally form nests in damp and rotting wood, but can easily tunnel into sound lumber. Unlike termites, Carpenter Ants do not consume wood, rather tunnel through in order to establish or expand a nesting site. Significant structural damage to homes and buildings can result from an infestation. If the infestation is allowed to linger, they can destroy a home.
Eliminating areas of high moisture will go a long way toward controlling infestations. There are a wide variety of chemicals that will kill the worker ants, yet if the queen remains alive all those dead ants will soon be replaced. A certified Rove Pest Control expert will know the best combination of safe chemicals to kill the queen and keep your summer worry free.
Ticks
Ticks are parasites and are vectors for some serious diseases. They carry nasty things such as Lyme disease and tularemia. If your yard has dense underbrush and wildlife, watch out. Ticks will climb up bushes, hold on with their rear legs leaving 4 to 6 arms ready to snag the next unsuspecting victim that walks too close. Warm areas are target zones for ticks. After grabbing a host they’ll move to areas such as; arm pits, neck, back, head, and stomach. Don’t forget to check your belly button and below the belt. If the ticks in your backyard are taking over, Rove Pest Control has the solution that will send those eight-legged ecto-parasites packing.
Box Elder Bugs
They won’t destroy your home, or give you terrible diseases, however they congregate in large amounts and they stink. It doesn’t matter how many times you run the vacuum, Box Elder Bugs continually find their way into homes. Smashing them isn’t a good idea because the chemicals in their bodies will stain carpets and furniture. Box Elder Bugs enjoy sunning; large numbers will congregate on the southern facing side of homes and buildings. Numbers can increase to the thousands.
The Best Solution
It doesn’t matter what pest is emerging or becoming a nuisance. If there’s a bug or pest problem, Rove Pest Control has a solution. Our technicians are friendly, highly trained and certified to get rid of summer pests so you can get back to enjoying the outdoors. Give Rove a call today.