Mild Arkansas winters equate to bug-filled Arkansas summers. Unfortunately for Arkansans, we’re in the process of concluding one of the mildest winters in years. If they haven’t arrived already, expect to see increased numbers of yard critters — ticks, flies, mosquitoes. With no hard freezes to keep their numbers down, expect the bugs to be a little more prevalent this spring and summer. They’re coming. Like a swarm of giant, killer praying mantises from Mars in your favorite old sci-fi movie, the invaders are coming. Of course, our invaders are more annoying than world-conquering. Here are a few tips to help you weather the invasion: Clean. Your kitchen, your pantry, your cupboards. Make sure all food such as cereal, pet food and snacks are sealed. If ants, mice and other critters can’t smell it or get to it, they won’t be attracted to it. Trim. Your trees, shrubs and plants. There needs to be a fair amount of space between your house and any vegetation. Bugs and other critters use it as a bridge to access points on the outside of your home. Which leads us to… Make sure there are no access points for entry from the outside of your home. Holes in roofs, crawlspaces…Check the perimeter of your home for any damage that could provide an internal access point. Eliminate standing water from your yard. It’s a sure way to attract bugs, especially mosquitoes (and the ones we’ve seen so far this year look like they could star in a sci-fi movie). Check around your carport, windows, porch lights and other areas that could harbor spider webs and bees’ nests. Be sure and check yourself, your kids and your pets for ticks when you come inside, even if you have what you consider to be a well-groomed backyard and especially if you’ve been in the woods. And when you pull off a tick, be sure to get the head. Vegatable oil can help in that regard. Finally, call Legacy. Maybe it’s shameless self promotion, but we’ll de-critter your house on the inside and out, perhaps helping to make sure the above tips aren’t as necessary as they might be otherwise.
