Winter has arrived early here in the Midwest. We’ve had a string of below normal days (we trick-or-treated with wind chills in the teens) and I’ve hated every minute of it. (No matter how many years I reside here, I don’t know that I will ever get used to living in these conditions.) In any event, if there is an upside to living in “the frozen tundra” it is the fact that Mother Nature’s freeze-fest has all but eliminated the insects in our home (save for a few hearty spiders). While it may seem that nature is “bug-proofing” our home, in reality it is impossible to make any home completely insect-free. However, there are some modifications you can make to your home to limit pest entry.
Here are a few ideas that have worked for me (these tips may be especially helpful to those of you, my parents in Hawaii included, who live in warmer climates and deal with pests all year round):
Check ALL Doors – Make sure your doors are flush with the floor. Insects are able to sense the different air currents leaving your home. Most multi-legged pests are attracted to warmer temperatures and smells found inside. By adding some weather stripping to the bottom of all doors that lead outside, you can eliminate gaps that bugs use to gain entrance into your home.
Check ALL Windows – Fine mesh screens do a great job of preventing insects from entering your home. It’s a good idea to add screens to all windows, especially if you live near any bodies of water. Also, keep in mind bugs are attracted to lights around your home and will try to enter through open windows. Check to make sure the screens do not have any holes that would allow insects to gain entry. Holes in your screens can be patched easily and affordably with window repair kits found at hardware and discount stores.
Change Your Outside Lights – Insects use the moon as a guide for their migration and flight patterns. However, in urban environments insects use porch lights and house lights as a mock moon and fly towards your lights, collecting around the front door and other well-lit areas. To avoid this, consider purchasing yellow-tinted “Bug-Free” lights, which are available at hardware stores. These lights are not as attractive to insects and will limit the amount of insects that rest near your front door.
Related Articles:
The “Mosquito Magnet”–and Other Weapons of Mosquito Destruction
“Buzz Off”–A New Way to Ward Off Bugs