This year, avoid those UNWANTED GUESTS

Stop pests in their tracks this spring with a few simple steps at home.

By Amanda L. Husson

Saturday, March 24th, 2007
SUN-NEWS REPORTER______

The weather is warming up, and people all over Las Cruces are coming out of win­ter's hibernation and getting out and about. And we're not the only ones.

"Not only are we out there getting more active, so are the bugs," said Las Cruces entomologist Jim Dye, owner of Border Pest Control.

Common household pests like ants and cockroaches are out in full force, and the best way to keep your home pest-free is to prevent them from getting inside in the first place. Dye said you should tidy up your home and yard with an eye to clearing out areas that creepy crawlies can use as shelter and food sources.

"Some people say that cleanliness is next to godliness," Dye said. "I say cleanliness is next to bugless­ness."

He said it's important to keep debris and firewood away from the house. Those piles can provide just the sort of structure insects and spiders like to make a home in. But when you're moving those items and cleaning up in the yard, make sure you wear gloves.

"You'll be disturbing things and unearthing bugs," Dye said. "A good pair of gloves could keep you from being bitten or stung."

Weed control is also important, especially to reduce the population of tiny mustard bugs that can be such a nuisance in May and June.

"Mustard weeds provide life for these critters," Dye said. "When the weeds dry out, they go looking for somewhere else to live."

Your house, for instance.

An effective means of keeping them out is through exclusion: Make sure the screens on your win­dows fit properly and do not have holes in them.  Check the seals around your doors, windows and places pipes and wires enter your home and use caulk or weather stripping to fill any places that might look like an invitation to pests in your yard.

You can also make your home less appealing to bugs by keeping temptations like pet food off the floor and staying on top of cleaning and tidying.

At the mention of pest control, you might envision an extermi­nator with a silver can of pesti­cide, spraying along the baseboards inside your home, but Dye said that's really not the most effective way to control pests.

"I'm adamantly opposed to baseboard spraying," Dye said, "because bugs don't come from baseboards."

Instead, Dye recommends a monthly application of pesticide around your home's perimeter to help stop bugs before they get inside. He said he's seen a great deal of success with this treat­ment method and most of his clients don't need indoor treat­ments at all.

If, despite your most vigilant efforts, a colony of ants, roaches, termites or other bugs takes up residence in your home, Dye said the most effective method of eliminating them is a targeted approach.

For example, if you walk into the bathroom to brush your teeth and are greeted by an ant pro­cessional across your counter, Dye said placing special bait that the ants will carry back to their nest is far more effective than spraying or squishing only the visible ants.

It's always easier to stamp out an infestation before it becomes too widespread, so Dye recommends having your home inspected for termites and other insects once a year.

If you use pesticides yourself around the house, use them safely. Read all the label directions and follow them carefully, mixing chemicals exactly as directed. Be careful how you store the chem­icals as well. Keep them in their original containers or label the containers you use for storage and keep them and all chemicals out of reach of children and pets.

Amanda L. Husson can be reached at ahusson@Icsun-news.com