Tips for summer pest control

Summertime means pest season for homes. It can be a constant battle to keep pesky critters out of the house.

Wasps, spiders, box elder bugs and earwigs are just a few of the common faces found in the summertime. They not only keep homeowners busy, but local pest control companies as well.

“Between about March and end of October is our busy season,” said Joe Hansen, owner of Moxie Pest Control in Pocatello. “So we’re getting somewhere between 20 and 30 calls a day.”

So far this season, Hansen said they have been seeing a lot more earwigs than in past summers.

“We’ve been getting a fair amount of calls in regards to the earwigs,” Hansen said. “And then we have a new critter that’s shown itself from Boise over the last couple of years and they’re elm seed bugs. They’re very similar to the box elder bugs but they’re a little darker. And then just spiders, lot of spider issues.”

Hansen said there are a few things you can do to try and keep bugs out of your home.

“Keep the least amount of clutter on the floor as possible,” he advised. “Keep the floors clean from clothes, anything.”

“Earwigs, especially this time of year, are very opportunistic feeders,” Hansen added. “So they feed on decaying plant matter, and also decaying animal matter so other insects, dead insects. So keeping that stuff away from the foundations of the home will increase your odds of not having to get them on the inside of the home.”

Hansen said there are several different home remedies out there you can try as well.

One remedy for earwigs that Hansen said a lot of his customers have claimed helps is putting olive oil on a flat plate, tray or bowl. Make sure it’s not too deep that the earwigs couldn’t climb in. The earwigs are attracted to the olive oil and can get stuck in it, allowing you to trap and kill them.

Another remedy mentioned is for ants. Supposedly, if you draw a chalk line on the ground, ants won’t cross it. Fact or myth? We asked Moxie Pest Control and Hansen said while he hasn’t personally tried it, he could see the logic behind why it could work. Hansen said ants leave pheromone trails and if that trail is disturbed, ants will change direction. So you could draw a line around doors or wherever ants get in to try and keep them out.

Hansen said if you can’t find anything that works, or you would just prefer to leave it to the professionals, give Moxie Pest Control a call and they can take care of it. He said they gets calls from anything from spiders to box elder bugs. Hansen said it’s typically $69 to $79 for them to come and do an internal and external sweep.

Hansen said all products Moxie uses are pet and child friendly. He said if you are using store bough chemicals and sprays, check for that. Hansen said make sure anything you use is safe for pets and children.

If interested in talking with local pet control about your pest problem, Moxie can be reached at 208-237-0688.