Did you know that the landscaping on your property can directly affect the insect and wildlife population inside your building? Trees, shrubs, low-lying vegetation, ground cover (including mulch) and other types of landscaping can all determine how many pests will find harborage on your property. Many landscapers will suggest low maintenance plants for your property, but these can be some of the most attractive plants to insects and other pests that may find the conditions on your property favorable. When it comes to the exterior of your building, certain landscaping elements should be avoided to help reduce pest problems while others are encouraged. Here are some landscaping and spring pest control tips from the commercial pest management professionals at Copesan.

Types of Pests and Their Homes

When it comes to the trees on your property, look at the types of trees you have present, along with their age, condition and how close they are to a structure. Most trees produce some kind of nut, fruit, seed or flower, which can all become a food source for many kinds of pests. If trees are close to a structure, overhanging limbs can act as a bridge for pests to access your building. Sometimes even if the tree isn’t touching your structure, it can create a path to power lines, which will also lead to your structure.

Shrubs can attract insects with seasonal flowerings and may attract ants by the presence of aphids that are feeding on the shrubs. Densely planted shrubs with foliage that extend all the way to the ground can make an attractive home for rodents and other pests looking for harborage. When shrubs are planted close to your structure, these pests can very easily make their way into your facility.

Low-lying vegetation can include weeds, grass, flowers and ivy; these types of vegetation can serve as harborage and can attract many different pests. Pests like cockroaches thrive in these dense beds of vegetation and in the middle of the summer, these roaches will move directly from your landscape to your structure.

Ground cover and mulch, including shredded wooden pallets and hardwood bark, can be attractive to termites and other pests. There are other types of ground cover and mulch that are less attractive to pests, including synthetic pine needles and shredded tire mulches, but a stone or gravel border around your structure is a far better choice to avoid attracting pests.

Other items in the landscape, including piles of wood, old railroad cross ties and rocks can all be attractive to pests. Eliminating these items from the property or moving them far from the structure is the best way to avoid attracting pests to your landscape.

For more information on landscaping in pest management to help maximize the effectiveness of your pest control strategy, contact the pest management professionals at Copesan today!