Ah, the good old summer time! We all want to get outdoors to enjoy the warm weather and sunshine as much as we can. The problem is there are all kinds of other critters who like the summer months too and they can make it much less enjoyable for us. Here are 10 annoying pests who are more likely to be a bother in the summertime.

  1. Mosquitoes – These annoying insects can really ruin anything from a backyard barbeque to a camping trip. Mosquitoes are usually the worst at night, but can hang around all day long. They hum in your ears, they bite and they can make your outdoor activities miserable. Besides that, they carry diseases like West Nile virus for humans and heartworm for pets.
  2. Flies – The common house fly is annoying enough; crawling on your food, buzzing around and just plain being a nuisance, but the ones that bite like deer and horse flies are really the worst. There are also small black ones I call ankle-biters that always hang around your feet. Fly bites really hurt and can cause big, itchy welts.
  3. Wood Ticks – Another summer pest is the wood tick. There are several different kinds, but they all like to crawl on you and bite you in embarrassing places. Deer ticks also carry several kinds of diseases that can be transmitted to dogs and humans if they bite you long enough. Just finding one makes you feel creepy-crawly all over.
  4. Ants – Nothing ruins a picnic like a bunch of ants. There can be battalions of their armies wrecking havoc in your back yard and getting in your house if they get a chance. They’re not only annoying they are also easily annoyed and like to bite. Fire ants are the worst and they can cause serious injury to people with allergies and small children.
  5. Bees – All insect bites are annoying and most can be itchy and painful, but nothing compares to a bee sting. Ouch! That really hurts and can be life threatening to people with allergic reactions. Bees would be unwelcome guests at any summer outing.
  6. Snakes – Whether they’re poisonous or not, most people don’t like snakes of any kind and some have crazy irrational fears. Snakes are cold-blooded reptiles that need the summer warmth to survive and can really ruin a pleasant summer hike in a hurry.
  7. Seagulls – A trip to the beach can be wrecked in a hurry by an annoying flock of seagulls. If they find food they won’t leave you alone and they aren’t particular where they take a dump. Never feed a seagull because they can’t keep a secret and soon every gull on the beach is after your lunch.
  8. Skunks – These stinky critters hibernate in the winter and can be found littering the roadways on the first warm days of the year. They dig holes in your lawn looking for grubs and won’t hesitate to spray you or your pets at the least provocation. They’re also are the most likely critter to be carrying rabies.
  9. Raccoons – Another winter hibernator, raccoons can be huge pests in the summer. They will get into your garbage looking for food and make a huge mess. They are also quite clever and if they find a way into your house can be very destructive and vicious.
  10. Bears – These huge animals are also scavengers that hibernate in the winter. They roam around all summer ravenously looking for their next meal destroying garbage cans, bird feeders, and anything else they think may contain food. Gravitating to areas where they know they’re protected, they can be a real nuisance and pretty scary too.

With all these annoying creatures lurking around, it’s a wonder we ever survive our summers. I didn’t even mention all the rodents like squirrels, chipmunks and mice that are much more active during the summer months chewing on things and making nests in inconvenient places. I guess we all have learned to deal with these pests so we can enjoy our summer months the best we can. Now where did I put that insect repellant?

Filed under: utilities

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