5 Things… My 5 least favorite summertime pests and the best way to remove them…..
1 – Carpenter bees. They make perfectly round holes in wood, which while amazing is a pain in the neck. Best removed with a badminton racquet and wood putty to fill up the holes. Before you fill up the holes spray poison in the hole - like Sevin dust. Then fill. Make sure your get the paintable/stainable kind of putty.
2 – ‘Skeeters. Nothing ruins a backyard outing faster. Best removing, and I mean all no matter how small the collection, standing water and having a skeeter treatment from a reputable exterminator. Get one monthly for even better protection, although a good company will be happy to give you a good one right before that big outdoor party.
No time - well, use some fans. Mosquitoes are nortoriously poor fliers. The breeze from a fan will keep them at bay.
3 – Bats. Hard to keep out of your belfry partly due to nocturnal habits and partly due to the fact they will find their way back to your home from 500 miles away. Best bet for removal is to call an exterminator. Before you write, read this - I love bats! Just not in my belfry.
4 – Roof rats. Nasty, gnawing rats are appearing in epidemic numbers - not necessarily because you are a slob, just because they are out there. And you are a slob. You need professional help to get rid of these. (sidenote - with roof rats we are all slobs).
5 – Fire ants. There are hundreds of home remedies to kill these big league annoyers, but store bought poison (like TopChoice granules) and patience is your best bet. A professional can also help. Put down poison and be patient, the little @^#^* will be gone soon.