Watch Out For Those Leaf Piles

The days are starting to get shorter and the trees are beginning to enter survival mode as they prepare for the colder months. Trees shed their leaves in order to conserve energy and toughen themselves up. Leaves begin to die and then decay since they are no longer needed. These leaves end up on the ground and all over your yard. A B Pest Control and Insulation knows that these leaves often times feed and shelter fall pests. Bugs, rodents, and other pests love to leap right into leaf piles and take shelter from the cold. Your pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks has some information about what may be hiding in your leaf pile. 

Termites

Termites are infamous for their wood destroying tendencies, but it’s not the wood itself they are really after. Termites eat the cellulose in wood. Cellulose is a natural fibrous substance that’s also found in other plant materials, including yes you guessed it, leaves. When leaves begin to decay, they give off a distinct scent that termites can smell from far away.

Unfortunately, termites are never content with just eating the leaves. Termite colonies need wood to burrow into in order to establish themselves, mate, and then expand. This means if a group of termites take over your leaf pile, they’ll start looking for nearby wood to burrow into. That wood could be a tree in your yard or even a part of your home.

Beetles

Different species of beetle adapt to winter temperatures in many different ways. Some beetles coordinate their life cycles to survive winter as cold-resistant grubs, some hibernate underground, and some even produce antifreeze inside their bodies.

Regardless of how beetles survive, they all prefer confined, humid environments that will keep them warm and comfortable. Decaying leaves produce a source of food, shelter, darkness, and even moisture for beetles to enjoy. If other shelter is scarce, leaf piles could end up being the home for a lot of beetles. The more beetles that are drawn to your leaf pile means the higher the chance of a beetle invasion inside of your home.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are known for being tough insects, but they still prefer to be in a warm and humid climate rather than being out in the cold. When fall comes around, roaches start to get desperate for the shelter and humidity they need to survive. Leaf piles not only provide warmth, they also provide shelter and considerable moisture.

Leaf piles won’t protect cockroaches all winter long, but they are a great hideout while they look for more permanent accommodations. If the cockroaches are using a leaf pile near your home, chances are they will soon make their way into your home. When cockroaches find a safe place, they hibernate over the winter and come back in the springs. By raking your leaves early, you could help prevent a cockroach infestation in this spring.

Predators

Rodents and snakes may not come for the leaves specifically, the way other pests do, but they do have a reason for showing up. They want the pests that do come for the leaves. Leaf piles may be full of the insects that mice eat and snakes aren't too far behind the mice.

Lawn Care

It's important to rake up your leaves, not only to help prevent pests but also for the health of your lawn. When your lawn is covered in dead and decaying leaves, lawn maintenance becomes almost nonexistent. Having a lawn covered in leaves makes it hard to re-seed and fertilize. This can lead to dead spots and it will show in your yard when spring comes around.  

When it comes to preventing pest infestation, raking up and disposing of your leaves is one of the most important things you can do this fall. Another important thing you can do is give A B Pest Control and Insulation a call. Your pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks can either help prevent or get rid of any pest infestation. 

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

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www.abpest.net

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