Here we go again. Gulf Coast residents observe several “seasons” that the rest of the country doesn’t necessarily observe: Shrimp Season, Crawfish Season, Mardi Gras Season, and the more ominous and notorious, hurricane season.
Today marks 100 days out from hurricane season (1 June). Now is the time to prepare. Most people prepare for hurricane season by stocking up on bottled water, canned goods, flashlights, candles, and batteries. Dusting off those family emergency plans rarely involves pest control, but it should.
I mean, bugs are really the last thing you are worried about when one of nature’s most destructive forces is barreling straight toward your sleepy coastal town.
Here are three common pests to contend with during a hurricane.
Mosquitoes
Rats
These guys are the Olympic swimmers of the rodent world. Surge water displaces rats and can force them to relocate to find shelter, food, and water. Also, one issue that compounds the situation is that homes are usually compromised when windows or doors get broken. There are many entryways that open up for rats in the home.
Once they are in, they can cause all sorts of additional damage to homes and leave behind disease-ridden messes. The most important thing a homeowner can do in this situation is to secure all food and set home traps to deter an invasion.
Flies
Hurricanes dislodge garbage and throw around all sorts of items that attract flies. Flies then swarm and cause a nuisance to everyone. Flies are efficient carriers of disease too. With the rest of a community’s infrastructure disrupted like regular garbage routes not being fulfilled, a town can be besieged by flies in a matter of a couple of days.
I encourage you to call Paramount Pest Solutions (228-986-PEST/7378) before storm season to have your home emergency plan refined and hardened against pests even during the worst of times. Also, Paramount would be happy to explain their emergency operation plan for getting back to servicing your neighborhood before, during, and after severe weather.
