Homeowners Going Buggy From Rain

Friday, June 29th 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

More rain means more bugs. The News On 6â€™s Emory Bryan reports there are more of them and it's a double whammy because they multiply with the moisture, and come inside to get away from the water.

David VanDyne spends every day looking for bugs. He's an inspector with Brewer Russell Exterminating, and lately, he's been finding more of what he's looking for.

"Of course everybody is seeing a lot more ants this year, and some unusual things that are usually outside things that are inside," David VanDyne of Brewer Russell Exterminating said.

In the ivy there are pillbugs, and around the foundation there are camel back crickets. That's not unusual, but VanDyne says the combination of mild winters and now the constant rain is helping the bugs multiply. The challenge is to keep them outside and VanDyne says the slightest crack gives bugs a way in.

"Caulking around cracks also helps keep things from coming into a wall void and then showing up inside," said VanDyne.

Exterminators say theyâ€™re seeing more bug right now because they love this moist environment. The ones which typically live underground are being forced up into houses. Earth worms are coming up out of the saturated soil, but the biggest problem is ants. That's why VanDyne has to suit up and get ready to crawl under houses to see if ants are coming up down there. It's a muddier than usual job, but it's the only way to be sure.

"Generally they're in crawlspaces where it's usually just damp, but right now those crawl spaces aren't just damp, they're wet," VanDyne said.

VanDyne says water bugs and spiders love moist places, so he's recommending homeowners take steps to dry out their crawlspaces. He's says moisture underneath a home is a sure way to turn a few bugs into an infestation.

The pesticides used by professionals are just as effective when it's wet, so there's no reason to not try getting rid of them. But the pros say the best cure is prevention by keeping things dry underneath and around the house when possible.

Watch the video: Rain Makes Homeowners Buggy