As warmer weather approaches, the shorts coming back out, barbecues set up on every block, people have a need to be outdoors! Even though we all appreciate the spring time for her beauty, the critters and pests get in between you and your families adventures.

Ticks are one of the most fearful bugs for all of the outdoor enthusiasts. Ticks can carry Lyme disease, which can lead to chronic rashes, joint pain, lethargy and partial paralysis. Ways to avoid these little bloodsuckers is by wearing long sleeves and pants while being in a wooded area. Bug spray and doing a all over tick-check will beat your chances of encountering ticks. If you do get bit, don’t worry too much because most ticks do not carry diseases. Just pull the tick out with tweezers and safe him in a ziplock bag to show your doctor in case you start showing symptoms.

Flies are another pesky bug that swarm us in the spring time. Flies are harmless, but horse flies can leave harmful bites. When flies do appear back up again in the spring, they find places to lay their eggs. Bug spray and essential oils can keep them from going near you. Bees and wasps are a type of bug that can be deadly to some if allergic. Spring is the time when bees and wasps build up their nests and hives for the summer months to come along. Bees sting in a way where they do it once and inject all of their poison at once, leading them to loose their stinger inside your skin and then they die. Wasps retain their stingers, injecting small portions of venom several times. Being stung by either of these flying creatures can lead to an swelling, itchy and painful affect. If highly allergic to them, always carry an Epi-Pen while outdoors. To avoid them, don’t wear cologne, perfume and bright colors, also avoid eating sugary foods and beverages.

Mosquitos- these guys carry Zika virus, West Nile and Dengue Fever. To avoid these pests, always apply an outdoor repellent on the skin when heading outside. Also avoid camping or hanging around stagnant water, which is where mosquitos breed. Avoid running or giving off a lot of sweat during the hottest hours of the day because mosquitos are attracted to sweat. 

These are just a few of the many bugs that tend to bother us during the spring, tips that you can use around the home would be cutting the shrubs around the house, keeping the inside of the house clean and not leaving a mess for the outdoors. Keep lids on outdoor and indoor trashcans and move all fire wood away from the home because to attracts termites. If problems continue to carry on into the your home give Chiltons a call, we offer free termite and pest inspection and will eliminate any springtime pest concern before it becomes a problem! Life is too short to be bugged!