June 20 marks the First Day of Summer, but it also marks the beginning of a drier wetter pattern compared to the previous 90 days!

In fact, Metro Atlanta endured the 12th Wettest May on Record.

June wasn’t much better, with rainfall for nearly 3 weeks straight.

But the rain will finally move out for the next several days, setting up a hot and dry spell for the Metro Atlanta area.

With drier weather on the horizon, you may be cleaning up the yard or the garden, or just now getting around to cleaning out the garage and backyard patio.

The excess rain may have encouraged “the Big Three” to invade your yard or your home: Ants, spiders and roaches.

According to Matt Breda of Breda Pest Management, “No matter what time of year, those are the big three.”

So how do you keep the “Big Three” out of your home and yard this summer?

Ants

“The biggest mistake that DIY’ers make is, you will go out there and get a DIY granular type product, and you will sprinkle it on top of the mound,” says Breda. “But what you want to do is sprinkle it around the mound, because that is where the fire ants are going out to get their food source.”

Spiders

Personally, I’ve always been afraid of spiders, even though I know they are important in our ecosystems.

“Spiders are beneficial! They eat other insects, but nobody wants spiders in their home,” notes Breda.

Yours truly included! I’m fine with spiders -- as long as they are outside. So how do we keep them out of the house?

“They have to have a food source -- which is other insects. Take away their food source. You need ongoing pest control to knock down that insect population. Then you’ll get rid of those spiders,” says Breda.

Roaches

Roaches are another pest that are unwelcome, whether outside on the patio or inside in the kitchen.

“Roaches are going after so many food sources. Roaches can feed off of glue on book bindings, hair follicles -- you’re talking about an insect that has been around since the dinosaurs,” notes Breda.

“We have a couple of different kinds here in Metro Atlanta -- German roaches are indoor only. Very difficult to control, because they can get way out of control in a quick amount of time.”

“Your bigger roaches -- American and Smokey Browns -- trees in close proximity, typically going to get into your attic areas and venture down that way. So really make sure your gutters are cleaned out -- it really helps with keeping those big roaches out of your home.”

“Always, always, always get those dishes in the dishwasher because that is really going to keep the ants away, those flying type pests away, and then keep those German cockroaches away -- which we can bring in and do bring in from the grocery store.”

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