Hot weather — as Oglethorpe County is experiencing — can lead to more bugs.
During the summer, temperatures at night stay elevated, allowing for insect larvae to grow faster, said Elmer Gray, UGA entomologist and Arnoldsville resident.
“Insects are controlled by temperature and food availability,” he said. “(Summer) speeds up the whole biological process. Whether it’s the Joro spiders on my deck or the mosquito larvae in any of the buckets and containers around our communities that grow fast, so the life cycles get quicker.”
Some insects will seek the indoors in search of moisture and food. To prevent this, Gray recommends keeping grass cut low and to clean up any leaves and debris around the sides and foundations of homes.
“They want to be under something,” Gray said. “This strategy is very good: keeping the foundation clear, not having anything stacked against the house, not having any vegetation touching the house — your bushes should be trimmed away from the house so they don't touch the siding.”
For spiders, Gray recommends sealing cracks and protecting a house’s foundation. Most spiders enter homes for food or for mates, so deep, consistent cleaning will also help prevent spider infestations.
With the raised temperatures and recent rains, conditions are perfect for increased mosquito numbers.
Any standing water can be a haven for mosquitoes, Gray said, including overlooked spots like trays under houseplants, tarps, boat covers or toys. Drainage pipes and ditches can also be commonly overlooked areas that lead to increased amounts of insects.
“With as wet as it’s been, everything that could be holding water is holding water right now,” Gray said. “I’ve seen a number of bad pest problems coming from failed drainage systems.”
Retention ponds should also be monitored for mosquito larvae, especially agricultural retention ponds that may be mineral-rich, which attracts the Southern house mosquito, which transmits the West Nile virus.
To mitigate bug problems, Oglethorpe County residents can contact a UGA Extension agent, who can use an “integrated pest management” approach to educate them about the sources of pests, prevention and extermination.
For personal protection from mosquitoes, people should wear loose, light-colored clothing to decrease their heat signature, Gray said. He added that physical activity or any kind of increase in carbon dioxide emissions will increase a person’s mosquito attractiveness.
“People dressed in dark colors, actively moving about and those who exhale more carbon dioxide (such as larger people or pregnant women) are most attractive to host-seeking mosquitoes,” a UGA Extension circular warns.
He recommends using EPA approved chemicals too, primarily DEET, which can be used at various strength levels depending on the necessary amount of protection.
Ticks have become a larger concern since the emergence of a red meat allergy transmitted by ticks, so Gray recommends tucking socks and shirts into pants.
“The thought of not being able to eat cheeseburgers on the Fourth of July would not be good,” Gray joked about the red meat allergy, which is now more prevalent than Lyme disease.