Four Tips To Fall Pests

Gravel barrier.

When in battle, the best defense, is a good offense. Don't invite the enemy to come fight you on your soil. In the fight against bugs, the first course of action should be to keep them from getting into your yard. Less bugs in your yard, means less bugs trying to get into your house. A gravel barrier around the perimeter of your yard, between your lawn and the tree line, is a great deterrent for bugs--and animals that carry bugs, like: deer, rabbits, and mice.

Trim back trees and shrubs around the perimeter of your home.

Bugs climb along branches, and can fall into your yard. Keep your trees and bushes trimmed back along the perimeter of your yard, and also close to your house. Tree branches that hang near or over your house, can give bugs access to your roof.

Trees, especially fruit trees, are a draw for bug carrying animals. Keep your edible plants fenced in, and if possible, keep the number of shady trees in your yard to a minimum. If you can't live without them, at least keep the ground dry and free of leaves and moss. Don't make your yard feel like the woods, or animals will haul those bugs in.

Now if you happen to like animals in your yard, there are other ways you can keep bugs from getting in.

Wood piles and debris.

If you like having the deer and bunnies strolling through your yard, that is completely understandable. They're beautiful. And, with your gravel perimeter in place, and possibly a bug treatment on the gravel, the bug population will be reduced, so you might be able to keep the remaining bugs at bay. One way is to keep wood piles, rotting wood, and construction debris, away from the side of your house. Ants, cockroaches, spiders, earwigs, beetles, rodents, and a host of other pests, love decaying wood. And moist wood is even more tantalizing. Keep these things away from your house, and you'll keep the bugs from getting curious about living in your home.

Seal and treat your home.

The last bastion of defense are the walls of your home. Check your foundation for cracks, especially around outlets and piping, and seal them with a caulking gun. Make sure you have good working screens on all your doors, windows, and vents. Check your door sweeps and weather stripping, and have a professional treat the exterior of your foundation and home.

Don't be defeated by the fall invasion. Fight back! There is no reason you have to share your home with rodents and bugs. With early fall preparation, you can stop them before the get in.