How to prevent common summer pests from entering your home

Summer brings us a lot to look forward to—camping, traveling, barbecuing, and swimming come to mind. But those activities often come with some unwelcome guests. Plan ahead for summer pest control so you can keep insects from becoming a nuisance.

Mosquito

Mosquitoes are truly hard to avoid in the summer. These biting, blood-sucking insects thrive in warm weather and are especially fond of being near any source of water.

Keep smoke devices and insect repellants handy in your yard. The best prevention is to keep standing water out of your yard, or any area of ​​your home. Add a solar fountain to your birdbath if you have one, pay attention to drainage around gutters, and cover your pool when not in use.

In particularly problematic areas, you can use a specialized spray to repel them.

Ticks

Like mosquitoes, ticks can also harbor and spread disease, so they are more than just a nuisance. There are many different types of ticks, and some are more common in certain parts of the world. They can congregate anywhere and quickly latch onto a warm host, whenever they can.

The best way to prevent ticks is to cover your skin. Wear long-sleeved shirts & long pants. Cover your lower legs with long socks and tuck your pants into your boots. Also, wear a hat!

Ticks are on the rise lately and can be very dangerous in some cases, so always make sure to check your children, pets, and yourself from head to toe after every walk in nature. If you find a tick attached to your skin, use tweezers to pull it all the way out.

Do this slowly and evenly. Do not squeeze the tick or leave any part of the tick on your body.

Spider

The good news is that of the countless species of spiders, very few are actually venomous. That doesn't mean anyone wants to be bitten, or even have one running around the room.

Spider-repelling measures include sealing holes and keeping your home dust- and debris-free. Since spiders feed on other insects, break the food chain in your home by regularly sweeping and dusting. Also, turn off lights at reasonable times to keep insects that attract spiders away.

Home remedies that may repel spiders include using eucalyptus, peppermint, citrus, tea tree, and vinegar essential oils.

Termites

Summer is termite season. If they are around your home, there will soon be tens of thousands more. The best course of action against a termite invasion is to use heavy-duty weapons and a professional. Now is not the time to try sophisticated home remedies, as termites do more than just chew through wood.

They can destroy wood surfaces, causing costly repairs. Treat termites early and thoroughly.

Flies

Flies are annoying creatures both indoors and out. They hover over food, buzz in your ear, and irritate your pets. A single female fly can lay hundreds of eggs in just a few days, so the problem can quickly get out of hand.

Equip your outdoor space with fly traps and fly strips. Indoors, you can also use fly strips, but they are not as visually appealing. It is best to prevent flies from getting in in the first place. Do your best to keep doors closed at all times.

Spend an afternoon checking and repairing any holes or tears in your windows, and put up screens on your doors to keep out flies.

Bee

Bees can be some of the most annoying insects. If you or a loved one is allergic to bee stings, the condition can go from inconvenient to downright terrifying.

The first thing to know is that some bees are very hard to sting, only stinging if they feel the need to defend themselves. However, along with the busy but basically harmless bees, there are also the bold and annoying stinging bees. Sometimes you won't be able to avoid them, but there are ways to keep bees away from your backyard playground.

Start by keeping your food inside or covered if outdoors. Then invest in some wasp traps. They are very effective when equipped with the right bait.

You can also use a spray bottle to treat the nest. For severe cases, call a professional to remove the nest underground or under the eaves of a building.

If someone is stung by a bee, apply a mixture of baking soda and water after removing the stinger. Also, make sure you have medication on hand if anyone in the house has allergies.

Kareem Winters

Update 11 June 2025