JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mild winters are part of the charm when it comes to living in Florida. But the past season was warmer than usual.
While some of you enjoyed missing Old Man Winter, it could mean a big nuisance this summer.
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We could be battling pest problems that include mosquitoes and other bugs because of how dry it has been. After rain this week, that could start to change if people don't clean out standing water. Right now, its other things pest control companies are dealing with.
In recent weeks, Turner Pest Control has seen a late termite swarm, bed bugs, and calls for rodents.
According to the company CEO, because of how dry it has been, chinch bugs, earwigs, and other bugs looking for wet areas will be an issue.
“Do regular inspections if you don't have a pest professional. Make sure you are trying to keep mulch at a lower area around your house. Try to keep a barrier if you can put rock out around the house,” said Peter Steinmetz with Turner Pest Control
Around homes, Peter Steinmetz says keeping food sources for bugs away from your house will help keep bugs away.
He also says small rodents and cockroaches can find their way into homes through open garage doors, so he recommends keeping them closed.
But with the rain, fire ants, midges, and mosquitoes could start to become a problem.
“If they have areas of standing water, moist areas, those things are going to be good if you eliminate them. Wasps nest, knock them down, mud daubers, knock those down,” said Steinmetz.
The biggest key all summer long is keeping that standing water away. If you've got buckets or pots around the outside your house, dump those out. Checking your entire property and getting rid of that should help keep it from becoming a mosquito breeding ground.