Ways On Keeping Lawns Pest-free

The lawn will always be our "frontline" for visitors. If it is true that first impressions last, then we should do well if our lawns are taken care of and beautiful. Of course, it should be healthy too, especially now during the summer.

Keeping Your Lawn Beautiful During This Summer

Of course, it is summertime; a perfect time to go outdoors and enjoy some sunshine and fresh air. You do not really have to go far away to the beach or the park to enjoy these nature’s wonders though; if you have a beautiful lawn, then all you have to do is to pull out a chair and a good book and go outside. However, summer is the time when our lawn becomes very demanding of our attention. It now needs extra care. Here are a few tips on caring for your lawn this summer:

• Make sure you regularly water the lawn. Use correct watering techniques so as not to drown it. Watch out for when it is time to water the lawn. Signs that it is dehydrated include bluish-green grass, grass that is curled, and noticeable footprints that stay there longer than usual. Grass needs about an inch of water in a week normally. The best time to water is in the morning.
• Mow your lawn at least once a week. Do not cut the grass too short. Do not cut more than ⅓ of the total length of the grass. Make sure that the blade of your lawn mower is always sharp. If you can see that the ends of the grass are either yellow or white, then your blade is most probably dull.
• After mowing, leave the grass clippings on your lawn. This will fertilize your lawn.
• Keep your lawn pest free.

Outdoor Pests You Should Be Wary Of

Call out your friends and bring out the barbecue. This is the best time for that outdoor party. Just be wary of pests though. Pests are ever-present outdoors as much as they are indoors, and they can easily ruin your outdoor parties just by their presence alone. Here are some of the outdoor pests that we should be wary of, and tips on how to protect our lawns from them

Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are the number 1 pests we should look out for. Why? Because they are the most dangerous creatures on the planet. They bite, and their bites are irritating and itchy. You are lucky if that is all you get.  Mosquitoes are known transmitters of diseases. Among the diseases they spread are malaria, yellow fever, dengue, West Nile Fever, and Zika virus.

Mosquitoes are indeed small insects, measuring .125 to .75 cm, and suck human blood. Only the female adults suck blood since they are the only ones with the necessary mouthparts to do so. They have two tubes, one is for secreting enzymes that would prevent blood clotting, and the other tube is to suck blood. The males feed on nectar. Mosquitoes breed in standing water.

They home in on their hosts through the carbon dioxide emitted by potential hosts since they do not have very good eyesight. They also use scent from hosts as well as sweat as a way of detection.

To get rid of mosquitoes, remove any materials that can hold water. Old items like used tires, old cans, gutter, abandoned birdbaths, and water containers should be thrown away. When going outdoors, wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. It may be inconvenient and uncomfortable, but it is a very good way to keep the mosquitoes away from biting you. Use a mosquito repellent. Get one that is Environment Protection Agency approved, and has the ingredient DEET for added protection.

Yellowjacket Wasps
The yellow jacket wasp is the most dangerous type of wasps. They are ½ inches to ¾ inches long, black in color with yellow markings. Yellowjacket wasps forage for food near garbage bins, and they nest underground in rodent burrows. Yellowjackets do not travel far away from their nests so if you spot one, it probably means their nests are just nearby and there are plenty more within the area. In a colony, there are about 5,000 yellow jacket wasps. Yellowjackets sting when they feel threatened and are highly territorial. They have a powerful sting and can be deadly for some people who might be allergic to their venom.

When you see their nest, do not remove it by yourself. Ask for assistance, preferably from the best pest control management in North Carolina, because do so yourself is very dangerous. When you see one flying around, do not attempt to kill it. For one, if you fail, the yellow jacket wasp would see you as a threat and will definitely attack you. If you succeed, the dead were would only release pheromones, which signals to the other yellow jacket wasps that one of their comrades is in trouble and would soon come to its aid. This is a situation you would want to avoid.

To avoid their sting, do not use floral or sweet-smelling perfumes. Wasps and bees are attracted to sweet scents. They will approach you once they find out which increases the chances that they might sting you. These wasps are also fond of sugary sodas. If you are a soda drinker, remove the liquid from the can since the wasps might get in it. At least, in a glass, you can see them. Always keep your garbage bins and trash cans covered.

Wasp Hornet
A wasp hornet is another type of wasps and are highly aggressive and can attack without provocation and their stings are painful. A hornet is an inch long, dark in color with white, cream, or yellow markings on the abdomen, thorax, and face. For their nests, they make paper-like nests out of chewed wood and their saliva. Their nests are large and are usually found in wooded areas and are hanging on tree branches. They can also build nests at the side of houses and utility poles. In case you spot their nest, its removal is of utmost importance. Ask help from the professionals in doing so.

Flies
House flies are matched only by cockroaches when it comes to being dirty. These insects are major carriers of diseases. They are 4 to 7.5 mm long, usually gray in color with four dark lines in the thorax. They can be found both inside and outside our homes.  

The reason they are disease carriers is that they like to feed on animal feces, body excretions, garbage, and dead animals. But they also like fresh foods. We often see them crawling on whatever food it is that we have that is unprotected. They transmit diseases this way. The bacteria and viruses they carry can cause diseases like diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, and food poisoning.

To stop flies from invading your lawn, make sure to clean up. Cover your trash cans and garbage bins. Always dispose of your garbage regularly. Have a fly swatter in handy. This can effectively decrease their numbers. Clean around your lawn. If you have pets, clean after them. Dog food or cat food should be covered. Flies are also attracted to animal feces, so clean up after your pets.  

Paper wasps
These are the most common types of wasps. They are longer than a yellow jacket wasp and they come in different colors. To make nests, paper wasps gather fibers from wood. Their nests are shaped like umbrellas. The nest is paper-like and has no external coverings. A single colony can only have as much as 25 wasps but may swell to as many as 100 by late season.

They attack humans when they feel that they or their nests are in danger. Their stings are quite painful and to some people, it may even cause anaphylactic shock. Do not use sweet-scented perfumes, bath soaps, or detergents as these may attract the wasps. Avoid eating sweet food and drinking sugary drinks when outdoors.

These are some of the pests you may encounter out in your lawn, and the ways you can handle them. However, if you are overwhelmed by the presence of these pests, you can ask the professionals to do it. You may call on the services of the best pest control management in North Carolina, Go-Forth Pest Control.

Why Go-Forth Pest Control?

Go-Forth Pest Control is a family-owned company that has excellent experience in pest extermination. They have a team of expert professionals who are highly skilled and uses only the latest and most advanced equipment in the business. For more information, or to set an appointment, just click here or dial 336-841-6111. Their friendly operators are standing by.