We all love to spend time outside. From barbeques to family game days, as Americans, we spend a lot of time in the outdoors. Whether we live in the city or in a rural county, we do things outside. As such, we are able to spend time with nature, with plants, animals, and sunshine. Research has shown numerous health benefits from spending time outside, such as stress reduction, increased physiological conditions, and increased happiness. We should all strive to spend more time outside in order to absorb the sunshine and reap the multitude of benefits.
However, there are also a lot of reasons people do not like to spend time outside. Outside is where the vast majority of insects wait for their prey. People can run the danger of getting bitten by insects and critters in nature. It’s why we’ve made it our goal to protect homeowners through comprehensive pest control.
Where are Biting Insects More Prevalent?
Insect bites are prevalent where, obviously, there are a lot of insects. The most common areas for insects are in areas where there is standing water or where there are woodpiles. Standing water is water that is basically standing still, so there is little to no movement. Standing water can include water in pools, water in buckets or pots, water in lakes or ponds, or water collected on the ground after a rain. These standing pools of water are incredible breeding grounds for insects. Woodpiles also tend to have a lot of insects because of the nature of the material, as lots of insects live in wood. Insects are also prevalent in humid environments.
An insect that can regularly enter your home is fleas. If you have a pet in your home, such as a dog, there is a high likelihood that your pet can contract fleas. Pets can contract fleas from spending time with other animals that have fleas. Fleas are also more prevalent in humid environments. Fleas can not only bite the owner, but fleas can also bother the pet, leading to severe itching, loss of hair, and inflammation.
What Does an Insect Bite Look Like?
There are many different types of insect bites, each one looking unique depending on the specific insect that bit you. When an insect bites a person, it injects venom into the individual, which causes an immune response from the person. This immune response is what causes the itchy bump on a person’s skin. The bump will generally look angry and red, but the size and shape of it will vary tremendously based on the biting insect.
What are the Dangers of Biting Insects?
The venom of some insects can be extremely dangerous to an individual. Bites from insects such as fire ants and a black widow spider are extremely deadly and emergency medical attention will be immediately required. For most other insect bites, the venom is mostly harmless and will mildly irritate the individual. If you are unsure about what type of insect bit you, it is highly recommended that you check with a medical professional.
What Can You Do to Avoid Biting Insects?
The first thing you can do to reduce the chances of getting an insect bite is to ensure there is limited standing water around your home. After it rains, empty all buckets or pots that have the potential to attract insects. If you live near a lake or pond, find fish that eat insect larvae, but ensure you check with your local authorities or HomeOwners Association before you do so, in order to avoid a destroyed natural ecosystem. If there are a lot of dips in your driveway, consider having your driveway repaved. If there are a lot of potholes in your neighborhood road, then petition your HOA or local authorities to have the road repaved.
The second thing you can do to avoid insect bites is to ensure that your pets are well-groomed. As previously mentioned, having pets can attract fleas, so consider having your pet wear a flea collar and ensure your pet is well-groomed and regularly groomed.
You can also buy citronella candles. Citronella is a natural, plant-based insect repellent that does not hurt the mosquitos, but repels them. Citronella is widely used in candle form, outside and inside. Citronella candles are not generally effective in large, wide areas, as the chemicals do not reach too far; however, they work well in smaller enclosed environments, such as in a sunroom.
That being said, it is important to understand that not all insects bite humans. Furthermore, insects are vital to our natural ecosystem, so it is recommended to kill all insects. Killing too many insects can wreak havoc on our environment, which is why our recommendations are more geared toward preventing insects near you and your home, not destroying their natural living environment.
What If I Have a Lot of Biting Insects in My Yard?
Sometimes it may happen that there are swarms and swarms of insects in your yard. This situation can get extremely frustrating and scary! Maybe you have tried all of the aforementioned tricks, but there still seems to be so many insects in your yard, and you are scared of getting bitten. Not to worry! TermiGuard has a great program, YardGuard, which is a subscription service, where we come out to your house to inspect the insect problem and provide you with a solid plan to rid your yard of insects. General spraying of the yard does not work; the best plan is to do minimal spraying at the best times. We can handle all of that. We use a systematic program to ensure that you are protected from biting insects. YardGuard provides an inspection and plan, prevention strategies, seasonal treatments, and inspection visits. YardGuard ensures that you will never be haunted by potential biting insects again. Call today!
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