BEAUMONT, Texas — If you are a warmer weather fan, you probably enjoyed this winter.
Mother nature may have failed you in another way.
It happened in the form of a bug boom!
Spring is right around the corner, and temperatures are rising. Flowers are blooming.
Barry Bryant with Bill Clark Pest Control. He says Southeast Texas
"As the warmer weather heats up the population of pests dramatically increase," Bryant said. "We have all the right conditions for pests to thrive and survive right here in Southeast Texas."
He says our area isn't a stranger to bugs of all kinds, including cockroaches.
A warmer winter means an earlier start to the bug season.
With the rain we had during the winter, mosquitoes and fire ants are coming out in full force.
"During the warmer months and more rainfall, mosquitoes reproduce a lot faster," Bryant said.
He says when it starts to heat up, the calls for service almost triple.
"4 to 5 to 600 calls a day is normal," Bryant said.
While there are hundreds of bugs in our area, Bryant says wasps, ants and termites can cause the biggest problem for homes and businesses if they go untreated.
"You know if you go without treating termites, they can do some destructive damage to a structure," Bryant said. "If you go without treating fire ants that have built up against the side of a house, they can get inside of a structure. If you go without treating wasps on a structure their nest can get larges and population get heavier."
There is no foolproof plan to keep the bugs at bay, but there are some things you can do to help lower your chances of an insect infestations.
- Keep your lawn trimmed
- Make sure you're yard is clear of trash and debris
- Trash areas should be kept clean
Make sure doors, windows and the perimeter of your home are sealed.
"The longer you go without treating pests the more that there are," Bryant said.
Bryant says if you see something, do something.