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An infestation of pests in your home can risk your health and your family. If you know pests are in your house or garden, you don’t want to wait too long to deal with them.
We put everything you need to know in this article to help you with effective pest management. Keep reading to learn more about protecting yourself from pests.
1. Inspect Your Home & Garden Regularly
First, you’ll want to make sure that you inspect your home and garden regularly for signs of pests. You should look for signs of wild animal activity on your property.
These can include squeaking, rustling, and scratching sounds from your walls, attic, or porch. These noises typically get louder during the night.
You’ll want to look for holes in or around your garden as these can indicate animals burrowing nearby. Droppings or urine inside or outside the home also suggest that creatures take root in the property.
You must inspect your property often to see if there are any changes. Otherwise, you might not notice immediately when an animal moves in. Preventive measures are best for effective pest management, so you’ll want to watch.
2. Check Your Home’s Entry Points
Next, you’ll want to look over your home’s entry points. These include any small gap or opening that an animal could get through. You’ll want to take note of any that you find and seal them later. Without entry points, animals won’t come inside, making it a very effective form of pest management.
Some common entry points include gaps in windows and doors. You’ll want to make sure that you check your basement and attic thoroughly, as these areas are enticing to animals.
3. Add Certain Plants To Your Garden
You can also add specific species of plants to your garden since they act as natural animal repellents. You can practice companion planting, which requires placing these pest-repelling plants next to the ones already in your garden.
Depending on what wildlife is in your garden will determine what plants draw them away. Consider consulting a wildlife pest control expert to learn what animals are on your property. That way, you choose the right plants and strategies to keep them away.
Many plants repel pests, including:
- Citronella grass
- Garlic
- Basil
- Lemon thyme
- Rosemary
- Marigolds
- Mint
- Lavender
- Chives
- Petunias
- Dill
- Catnip
These plants have a potent smell to keep away animals and some insects.
4. Add Mulch To Your Garden
Add mulch to your garden to create an additional barrier that makes it harder for animals to burrow into the soil.
Mulches can benefit your garden in other ways, too. For example, they can deposit more nutrients in the soil. If you want that, then make sure that you choose a natural mulch like wood chips.
Many natural wood chips also have strong scents that repel pests. Cedar and cypress contain strong chemicals that can deter many pests.
5. Use Row Covers In Your Garden
Next, you can add row covers to your garden. These covers provide frost and pest protection to plants without stopping water or sunlight from reaching them. They keep insects away and can prevent animals from seeking out your plants.
When wildlife comes close to inspect your garden, they might also be interested in your home, so installing measures like these is essential, especially when your garden is close to your house.
6. Keep Your Property Clean
You must also keep your garden, yard, and home clean. You’ll want to make sure that you remove any dead plants from the garden right away because they can attract pests. It’s also important to throw away fruits or vegetables lying on the ground.
Take out piles of leaves and sticks whenever possible. Debris like this can create shelters for pests. The debris could invite them inside if they’re close to your home.
Next, ensure you deal with any trash or food messes properly. Open garbage cans and food that’s left out are sure to attract animals. If a critter finds food on your property once, they’ll keep coming back.
They may start seeking out food inside of your home, too, if they get more comfortable. It’s best to prevent that, so keep your space as clean as possible. Using airtight food containers will help a lot.
7. Identify Local Pests
It also helps if you take the time to identify local pests. If you know exactly what kinds of animals you’re dealing with in your home and garden, you’ll have an easier time determining what methods to use.
Many animals respond better to specific methods. For example, bats are much more irritated by lights and noise, so those strategies can work when trying to deter them.
If you need help identifying local pests, you’ll want to contact the experts. They can quickly figure out what animals are lurking near your property. From there, they’ll help you develop more effective pest management plans.
8. Take Pest Management Action Immediately
You must act immediately when you detect an animal in your home or garden. It’s vital to react if you know the pest is inside your home. Any wild animal can cause a lot of property damage quickly, and they can spread diseases to you and your family.
The sooner you take action, the better. You’ll want to contact a wildlife professional to deal with them. The experts will have access to specific tools and protective gear to handle the animal safely. Also, they have the skills and experience to do the job right.
Overall, time is of the essence when it comes to effective pest management.
Use These Effective Pest Management Tips
To summarize, there are several tips that you’ll want to use when you suspect that there’s a pest on your property. Monitor the area, then check for any potential entry points. It helps if you can identify the wild animal as well.
That said, make sure that you call the experts if you suspect an animal is inside your home.
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