Big storms like hurricanes and floods can bring pests into your home or business. When a storm hits your house, it leaves behind cracks, holes, and water damage. This further invites bugs and rodents into the house. Standing water can provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
On top of that, animals like rats and bugs often lose their homes in storms and end up looking for shelter in buildings. After a storm, it is common to see more cockroaches, ants, termites, and even floating fire ants around.
That is why it is important to take pest control seriously, especially after extreme weather. When cleaning up and getting rid of water is no longer enough, you have to hire a professional pest control team. Click here to See more.
How Hurricanes Can Create Entry Points For Pests
Hurricanes can cause serious damage to buildings, including cracks, broken windows, damaged roofs, and even weak foundations. Pests can squeeze in through these openings very easily and create havoc in your house. Some of the common ones you will find include:
- Rodents
- Ants
- Cockroaches
- Termites
- Spiders
- Mosquitoes
It is important to check for any damage in and around your house and fix it as soon as possible to avoid pests from entering.
After a hurricane, pests do not only come inside your house to find food, but to seek shelter. For example, rodents like mice and rats are forced out of flooded areas and move into homes or garages to stay dry. Once they are inside, they cause more damage by chewing on items.
How Flooding And Standing Water Lead To Mosquitoes And Other Insect Problems
Flooding from hurricanes creates ideal breeding grounds for pests, especially mosquitoes. Standing water often develops in low areas, debris, and damaged landscapes, allowing larvae to develop and mosquito populations to expand.
The increase in the number of mosquitoes does not just mean more annoying bites, but a serious risk to your health. Mosquitoes can spread deadly diseases like West Nile virus, dengue, Zika, and malaria.
Besides mosquitoes, flooding can also lead to an increase in the growth of other pests, such as flies and ants. Fire ants can even build rafts to float on floodwaters and create new colonies once they find dry ground.
Moisture-Damaged Wood Attracts Termites And Carpenter Ants
After hurricanes and floods, the wood around your house becomes soaked in the leftover moisture and becomes an easy target for termites and carpenter ants. When wood becomes softer in water, it becomes easier for it to rot, which leads to costly repairs.
Wet wood, fallen trees, and building materials create perfect places for these pests to live and breed. Termites eat wood from the inside out and often go unnoticed until the damage is done. It can be hard to tell if you have termite damage or simply water damage because both can cause swollen floors and discolored wood.
This is why, after a flood, you should not rely on DIY pest control methods. It is especially important to get a professional termite inspection.
Rodents And Wildlife After A Storm
Storms and floods can ruin the natural habitats of rodents and other wildlife. This is why they are forced to seek shelter elsewhere, commonly in accessible human homes. Rodents can spread diseases like leptospirosis, hantavirus, salmonella, and plague. Their droppings can also make allergies and asthma worse.
After extreme weather conditions, basic cleaning, like removing debris and draining water, is not enough to prevent pests from invading your home. Pest control services become essential to properly inspect your property, find vulnerable spots, and apply targeted treatments.
Getting help early can protect your property from more damage and reduce the health risks pests bring. Call a pest control company today!
