Outdoor Pest Control

Outdoor pest control is an important topic for many homeowners and gardeners, especially if you've experienced damage caused from unwanted pests, rodents or insects.

Let's face it......no one likes to walk outside only to find your thriving fruit trees covered with Japanese beetles, or have your child stung by bees that were living in the swing set.

Whether you live in an urban environment or you have 40 acres in a country setting, we're bound to share our homes, yard or garden with an unwanted animal or insect at some point.

The good news is there is a lot you can do to protect your hard work from being destroyed while keeping your family safe in the process.

Do you need to spend hundreds of dollars on a professional pest control company to fix the problem for you?  

No!

By following this guide we will walk you through the proper steps to get rid of a variety of unwanted pests quickly and in some cases, naturally without using harsh chemicals or pesticides.

To learn more, let's look at some common outdoor pests you're likely to experience and how to get rid of them.

Outdoor Pest Control

As warmer weather sets in many homeowners consider planting a garden.  

There's nothing better than harvesting some fresh strawberries, asparagus, tomatoes or other popular fruits and vegetables right out of your own backyard.  

However, it can be very discouraging to watch your garden grow and thrive, only to find bugs and insects are causing plants to become sick and die. 

Once you start to notice insect damage, it won't take long for your thriving garden to become a giant waste of time and money if you don't do something to control the issue.

Since you'll be controlling the pests near food, check out these organic natural pest control for garden tips to get rid of unwanted insects while keeping your garden safe in the process.

In both urban and rural areas, pigeons can create a huge problem.  

Whether they're roosting in your silo or on top of your downtown apartment, they not only create a mess with their droppings, but they can also carry and spread diseases.

If you live in an area where pigeons are a problem and you need a way to get rid of them, check out this article regarding pigeon pest control.

Bats are another common winged animal known to carry a variety of diseases.

Their droppings, also known as guano, look like mice droppings but they have a cocoon like outer shell that turns to powder if you touch or step on it.  

This powder is easily inhaled by humans which can cause a variety of respiratory issues.  

Since bats typically live in colonies, they can create a lot of guano inside your attic or barn very quickly.

Luckily there are a lot of bat pest control options you can use to get rid of the bats inside your home.  

Typically the bats are entering your home though a hole in your soffit or roof vent.  

If you're comfortable being on a roof and you're not scared of heights, you can save yourself a lot of money by taking care of the issue yourself.

The last bat removal quote I had for my home was $800.  

After a little research and using the techniques listed in the link above, I was able to quickly remove my bat problem in just a few hours of work.

Unwanted bees are not only a serious issue, but they can also be deadly if you're allergic to bee stings.  

In fact, the CDC reports an average of 62 deaths a year are caused from bee, hornet or wasp stings.  

The yearly average has been steadily increasing throughout the last 17 years.

While not all bees are dangerous due to their sting, some bees like carpenter bees cause damage as they burrow into your homes wooden structure or your wooden deck.

If you're experiencing an issue with bees on your property, check out this article regarding bee pest control.  

Or, if you're having an issue with wasps you can lean how to get rid of wasps here.

Outdoor pest control doesn't necessarily have to include pesticides and traps.

As technology evolves, so do our options for controlling pests and nuisance animals.  

Recently ultrasonic pest control products have become very popular but do they really work? Find out here!

Last year I planted about 15 apple, pear, plum and peach trees.  

Since it was my first experience with fruit trees I did a lot of research and made sure I was doing everything I could to help the young trees thrive.

I buried them at the proper depth, placed rodent guards around the trunks, added mulch and a weed barrier to help hold moisture and reduce unwanted weeds, and watered them once a week.  

The trees were doing amazing!  

Until one day I noticed they were covered with Japanese beetles.  

The beetles moved in overnight and before I knew it, a majority of the leaves on the trees were either dead, or completely gone.

I was able to save all of my fruit trees because I acted quickly, but I'm sure in just a few days without any intervention all of the trees would have died.  

To learn more check out this article that talks about getting rid of Japanese beetles or this article regarding organic Japanese beetle control.

Do you have a wood pile or stack of firewood you like to keep for an occasional campfire?

Although firewood can be a great source of heat and entertainment, it can also create the perfect outdoor habitat for a variety of different pests.

This article explains how to store firewood outside so it's dry and ready to use without being infested with with mice, ants or other insects.

Outdoor Pest Control - Garages And Barns

When it comes to winning the outdoor pest control battle, it's important to pay attention to the insects living inside your garage or in your barn.

Since a cement garage floor can offer a cool damp place for insects to hide, you'll find your garage or barn becomes a popular summertime hideout.

Crickets and earwigs love to live inside the dark cracks and crevices of your garage because it not only gives them shelter, but your garage floor provides them with the cool, damp environment they love.  

These articles will teach you how to get rid of earwigs and how to get rid of crickets.

Outdoor Pest Control - Overall

Outdoor pest control doesn't need to be expensive or time consuming.  

In fact, you can get rid of a variety of unwanted pests and insects by using some simple DIY techniques.

Like anything else though, the key is to address the problem while it's small, before it's an infestation and before you know it, your pest control issue will be a distant memory.