By late summer, Mother Nature seems to be at her peak. Like a teenager in need of a haircut, green encroaches everywhere the eye can see, especially in Arkansas — along the side of the road, in gardens, through the cracks of driveways and sidewalks. And for summer pests, what may look like an overgrown yard to you is a utopia for them!

But, don’t freak out yet, there is hope! In this article we’ll go over some of our favorite DIY tips to beat back both advancing pests and green. 

3 DIY Tips for Summer Pests

• Maintain the lawn and trim back foliage and bushes. Keeping your lawn mowed and in general good shape is a deterrent to pests that like to hide in tall grass. Plus, pests can gain access to your home through tree limbs that touch or overhang the roof, and through plants in gardens that are too close to the house. Always keep a barrier between your yard/foliage/garden and your home.
• Eliminate water sources around your home. Pests, like every other living creature on Earth, need water. That means no standing water in your yard. Clean out bird baths frequently and don’t let that kiddie pool sit with water. Clean out your gutters, check for leaks in outdoor faucets and pipes, and look for standing water under the house.
• Don’t give pests an open door to enter your home. In addition, of course, to keeping doors closed in summer, make sure to shore up any cracks and crevices in your home’s foundation, and fill up any open areas in exterior doors and windows.

These are just a few things you can do at home to help stop Mother Nature from advancing inside your home. Summer is a wonderful time of year, but it’s much more enjoyable when it’s kept outside.